Lie to Me
by Eowyn Organa
Summary: InuKag. Kagome accidentally gets sent back fifty years ago into Kikyou's body. Inuyasha finally starts loving her...as Kikyou. Will she continue to let him love her, or will she do the right thing, even though to do the right thing means to die?
1. The Tragic Tale Begins

A/N: So, here I am again, doing ANOTHER Inuyasha fic. (I have two more lined up after this, I am defiantly obsessed.) But, as always, the tone of this one is different than the previous ones.

This fiction deals with the Kikyou/Inuyasha/Kagome love triangle, but for those who hate Kikyou, I beg you to try to read, since it's painfully obvious who I'm going to make get together in the end anyway.

This fanfic revolves around events that occur in Inuyasha episodes 147 and 148. You don't _have _to have seen them to understand, but any Inuyasha fan should see them, but they are some of my FAVS! (They air on May 10 and May 24 on Adult Swim, if you haven't seen them yet.)

It's much easier to catch my "OMG!" moment before it happens if you've seen them and know them fairly well, however.

**Lie to Me**

**Chapter 1: The Tragic Tale Begins**

"Inuyasha!" Kikyou screamed, her bow drawn as she saw him, gliding through the woods with a smirk of malice on his face, the Shikon no Tama in hand.

He heard her voice, and turned, both of them glaring at each other with eyes full of spite, full of so much hatred. Those eyes! Kikyou cursed herself for once believing she saw love in those amber pools. _I believed in you…I really believed in you! _She thought, bubbles of malice welling up within her.

As he turned away, no doubt to make his escape, Kikyou yelled once more, "Inuyasha!" and released the sealing arrow.

As if it was traveling slowly, the arrow found its home—in Inuyasha's chest, pinning him to the tree as he yelped in surprise, a gasp escaping the silver haired hanyou as the Shikon no Tama flew from his hand. He groped at the air, trying to get it back, but it fell to the ground with a plink…right in front of Kikyou, the woman he had loved.

Her dark eyes were still set in hate, and her hands still held the bow after she released the arrow. Inuyasha couldn't help but stare in shock at her, so used to her soft, needing eyes, that now looked as if they could turn something to stone. He didn't notice the deep wound on her shoulder as he reached for her. "Ki…Kikyou…how could you…"

Kikyou turned away from him, falling to her knees in front of the Shikon no Tama, the pain filling her up as the blood only continued to flow from the wound he, the one who had tricked her into loving him, had inflicted upon her. She slowly picked up the pink jewel, its glowing, purified aura now tainted, glad, at least, that it was safe.

The villagers gathered around their miko, gasping at her wound. She hardly noticed them, feeling numb from her ordeal, until a small voice pierced her thoughts. "Kikyou onee-sama!" her younger sister Kaede cried, running up to her with the bandage over her eye that she lost in the battle with the youkai a few days earlier. She gasped as she saw all the blood around her sister. "Onee-sama! Those injuries—"

Kikyou only glanced once more at the hanyou sealed to Goshinboku, now looking peaceful under the spell of sleep. She felt herself weakening, wanting to give in to tears as she thought only hours before, she believed that today she would seal her happiness with him…and actually be able to live with him, giving up her life as a miko…

But how wrong she was! Just when she let her guard down, he decided to use that opportunity to attack her and take the Shikon no Tama! All his words were lies! That feeling of love she thought she had was foolishness from living a lonely life all this time. Tsubaki was right…mikos had to give up loving any man, because love lead to disaster…and death.

But death didn't matter anymore. At least death would release the pain on Kikyou's heart.

Kikyou glanced back at the Shikon no Tama, the small object that had caused all this to begin. "The Shikon no Tama…it was all for this…" she cringed once more as new pain filled her from her wound, knowing that her time was short.

The miko glanced once more at her young sister, knowing she was the only one who could help her now. "Listen Kaede…the Shikon no Tama…you must burn it with my body…So it won't fall into the hands of evil again…"

Her body was fading…her time had come…Kikyou held the Shikon no Tama to her chest, wanting to take it with her to the afterlife, as she closed her eyes, stiffening once more in the pain…and then felt herself falling…falling…and her last thought was of the hanyou…and all the happy memories they had shared…before she found out he was a traitor…

_Inuyasha…_

_

* * *

_

Fifty years later, Kikyou's reincarnation, Kagome sighed as she walked through the woods, lost in her thoughts her and her friends traveled on. She wasn't paying attention to Miroku, Sango, or Shippou; her thoughts were on the silver-haired hanyou in front of her.

He was always an interesting sight to see. Inuyasha had unusual claws and fangs, with amber eyes and silver hair, and the adorable dog ears on top of his head. Besides the ears, mostly when people first met him, they thought him as a scary, uncontrollable monster because of his appearance.

In truth, that's what Kagome had first thought of him as well, after she had released him from Goshinboku almost a year before. Once he had disposed of the centipede, he had attacked her, because she had smelled like Kikyou, his former love and the woman that had killed him. Of course, a well placed kotodama rosary had taken care of that.

At first she had thought him, annoying, selfish, violent, bad-tempered, and many other things, but soon, as she learned more about him, Kagome realized he was just deeply hurt from what had happened between him and Kikyou, and he was really a sensitive person…sometimes.

Once she realized that, it was only a matter of time before she fell in love with him.

But her love was unrequited, Kagome knew that much. Inuyasha still loved Kikyou, or at least, still cared for her. She didn't know what happened fifty years ago other than Naraku had tricked them into believing the other betrayed them. And thought Kagome hated it, she was jealous of Kikyou because Inuyasha still felt he had an obligation to her, at least.

_I know I should feel this way, but I can't help it…I can't help but feel jealous because I love him so much…_

It was then Inuyasha noticed that Kagome was looking at him, he turned around and raised an eyebrow. "What are you staring at?" he demanded.

She quickly covered it up. "Oh, nothing! Just some crazy thoughts, that's all!"

But the hanyou wouldn't believe it.Hemarched over to her, wanting to know what she had thought."You were looking at me funny, what is it?"

"Nothing!" Kagome shot back, before they both erupted into another fight.

"Tell me!"

"No!"

"You better tell me, Kagome!"

"No!"

"Why were you looking at me like that?"

"Sit!"

With a loud _thunk_, the hanyou fell once again to the ground, Kagome storming off, feeling worse than she did before. _I bet he never got into fights like this with Kikyou…_

"You two should knock it off." Miroku said, bending over the still-sat Inuyasha. "Can't you both feel that there's a ton of youkai nearby?"

Kagome abruptly stopped her self-pitying thoughts and looked back at the monk. "Youkai…"

"Is it a trap by Naraku?" Sango asked, keeping Hiraikotsu ready in case of an attack.

Inuyasha, who popped up after the sit command had been released said, "I don't think so. There's something else out there too…" He sniffed around the forest, suddenly growing tense as he kept his eyes towards the large tree in the distance.

Kagome knew why he was so tense when Kikyou emerged from behind a large, old tree, her face stoic as always. "I've been waiting for you, Inuyasha." The dead miko said calmly. "I have some information for you, about Naraku."

Kagome's eyes fell, hating it that a minute before she had been thinking about Kikyou and Inuyasha, and here she was. Inuyasha glanced back at Kagome, before turning back to Kikyou. "What information do you have, Kikyou?"

Almost hesitantly, the miko replied, "Naraku is trying to gather the Shikon shards. He already went after the young exterminator, and the wolf youkai."

Sango gasped, looking frightened. "Kohaku?"

Turning to Sango, Kikyou assured her. "Your brother is safe, as is the wolf. I made sure that Naraku wouldn't be able to capture them."

While the conversation continued, Kagome sighed. _I shouldn't get so worked up like that…Kikyou's only here to provide information, its not like she's going to try to do anything with Inuyasha, but…_she glanced at Kikyou while she talked with Inuyasha. _I know that deep down, she still cares, if not still loves him…_

_How could anyone break that bond of love?_

Inuyasha took a subtle glance at Kagome once more before telling the miko, "Well, thanks, Kikyou. If you have anything else, just tell us."

Kikyou nodded, her tragic eyes looking upon her former love. "I will wait for you beyond the Time Tree, Inuyasha."

"What?" he asked, bemused, not expecting that.

Kikyou reached out and touched the old tree behind her, glancing up into its leafy branches. "This is a Time Tree, like Goshinboku at the village. They are rare, but they can grow anywhere. Because of my link to Kagome and her world, the Time Tree interferes with my soul, making it impossible for Naraku to spy on me if I am close to one."

"Oh." The hanyou replied, looking a bit uncomfortable at having to talk to the former woman he loved while Kagome was right next to him.

Kagome, on the other hand, was looking at the Time Tree, fascinated. _I didn't know that…perhaps that's why she goes to Goshinboku in the village so much when she has to tell Inuyasha something…_yet it didn't make her heart feel any better.

Suddenly, Shippou cried, "Youkai!" when Kikyou was just about to leave. There was a large, white tiger-like youkai snarling at them from behind a few shrubs, its eyes wild with anger…and the youkai had a purple hue floating around it; obviously possessed.

"Naraku's angry since he cannot see what I said, and he knows it's important!" Kikyou drew her bow just as it attacked.

Inuyasha was the first to strike, raising his sword and crying, "Kaze no Kizu!" the white tiger jumped away in the nick of time, slamming into Kirara. The nekomata fought back, with the tiger snapping and growling at her madly.

Sango threw her Hiraikotsu, but it did no good, the tiger jumped away anyway, heading this time for Kagome. She didn't have time to draw her bow and screamed as it got closer.

It all happened in a second, Inuyasha yelled, "Kagome!" and jumped forward to cover her body, while Kikyou let a purity arrow loose, filled with her miko purification powers.

The tiger had just barely pounced on them, knocking them back as Kikyou's arrow embedded itself into the animal's shoulder, the pink energy exploding from the arrow, and blowing the tiger to bits. Since it had pushed Inuyasha and Kagome back before it had disintegrated, the pink energy knocked them back as well.

Kagome had her eyes closed as she felt herself slam into the Time Tree, pink energy filling her vision as she lost consciousness…

* * *

Someone was calling her as her thoughts were hazy. _"Onee-sama…"_

All Kagome knew was she ached all over, and felt as if she was floating. Her last memory was of Inuyasha trying to block her from the tigers attack as it pounced…

"_Onee-sama…" _that voice sounded like a concerned young girl, and now she felt hands on her shoulders, trying to wake her up.

"_Kikyou onee-sama, are you all right?" _Kagome wondered why the girl had called her Kikyou as she decided to open her eyes, finding herself on the floor in a wooden hut at dawn, the small, black haired girl dressed in a yellow child's yukata bending over her. Kagome could have sworn she knew the girl's face somehow, but couldn't place it.

"Onee-sama, are you all right? You suddenly collapsed." The girl said, her brown eyes wide, concerned.

Kagome wanted to tell the small girl that she was mistaken, and that she didn't have a little sister, but the first thought that came to her head was "Where's Inuyasha?"

The small girl looked at her with a puzzled expression on her face. "I don't know who're talking about, Kikyou onee-sama. Did the early start get to you?"

Kagome was now annoyed, and put a hand to her forehead, starting, "Listen, I don't know why you keep confusing me for her, but I am definitely not—" She noticed something in the corner of her eye. White fabric…white fabric from her sleeve. Kagome looked down, she was wearing a miko outfit…_Kikyou's _miko outfit.

_What? _She felt her hair. It was longer, darker, in the same style as Kikyou's.

_What's going on? I'm not—! _She ran over to the wooden bucket of water near the two mattresses in the middle of the room and looked down at the reflection in the water with eyes as wide as dinner plates.

"Onee-sama?" the girl asked, puzzled at her actions.

"…Kikyou…" Kagome finished, the dead miko's face staring back at her with wide eyes in the water.

_I…I'm Kikyou…Fifty years ago!

* * *

_

A/N: Well, now that that's out of the way, I'm sure you can go decipher my vague summary now. I just like giving reader's surprises, so I have vague summaries.

This is all based off the fansubbed version of episodes 147 and 148, told through Kagome's eyes as Kikyou. Once again, I hope you all decide to continue reading, because Ihave a few suprises up my sleeve!;)

And I appreciate reviews as well, you know!


	2. Tsubaki's Curse

A/N: I actually pre-wrote this and chapter 3, because I have to cram today and tomorrow for my AP History test on Friday, and then my SATs on Saturday. Wish me luck!

Here's where the episode 147ness begins. So, enjoy!

**Chapter 2: Tsubaki's Curse**

_This isn't happening...this isn't happening!_

Kagome shut and then opened her eyes, still seeing Kikyou's face reflected back in the water. She took deep breaths, willing all of this to be a dream, but the rough wood of the bucket digging into her palms told her that it was no dream or hallucination.

_I…I'm Kikyou…but how? Why did this happen?_

Remembering a flash of pink light and the ache through her body, she sighed in defeat. _So that's what happened. Kikyou's purity arrow and the time tree in the clearing somehow sent my soul back here…_

"Onee-sama?" the girl at her side asked, and Kagome looked down at her, fitting the pieces together.

_This girl…it must be Kaede, fifty years ago…_ "Kaede?" she asked, the name sounding weird on her lips without adding '-sama' to the end of it.

"Yes, Kikyou onee-sama?" she asked, perking up. She clearly liked and looked up to her sister, though by the way she looked, Kagome guessed that they were about ten years apart.

"I…I think it was the early morning getting to me." Kagome then noticed that her voice sounded different…Kikyou's voice. The only thing left of herself was her consciousness, it seemed.

Kagome looked down at Kikyou's reflection, her face set in puzzlement, and wondered, _So, what am I to do? How do I get back, in my own body?_ Will _I be able to do that?_ _Am I going to be stuck like this forever?_

Kaede tugged on Kikyou's white sleeve. "Kikyou onee-sama, we're going to be late. We told the villagers yesterday that we'd take care of the youkai near their village, and you said a miko was waiting for us."

Glancing back at Kaede, Kagome remembered what the young girl had said before. They obviously haven't met Inuyasha yet. _I can't just tell her what's happened, it would frighten her. And everyone would think that Kikyou went mad if I told them…_

She made up her mind. _I'll just have to pretend to be Kikyou, for now, at least. Until a solution presents itself._

"You're right, Kaede." Kagome told her, Kikyou's voice once more coming from her mouth. "I'm sorry that I acted weird all of a sudden, I hit my head when I collapsed, that's all."

"You're better now, Onee-sama?" Kaede asked, looking up at her sister with concern.

Kagome picked up Kikyou's bow and arrows, slinging the quiver over her shoulder. "Yes, I am well now, Kaede. Now, we need to leave. After all, you said we were expected, right?" Kagome wanted to smile at the little girl, but it just didn't seem like a very Kikyou thing to do. And she had to act the part perfectly so no one would suspect.

_I am Kikyou now, how would Kikyou react?_

As they walked out of the hut, Kagome saw that it was early, a little after sunrise at least. The village they were in was clearly not the village that she was used to; it was another, smaller one as it appeared. As soon as she stepped outside, Kagome suddenly felt many youkai in the field near the village, without even trying.

_This is Kikyou's power, it seems…_Kagome's mind raced, knowing the youkai were getting closer and she had to do something before they attacked the village.

"Kaede!" Kagome cried, running towards the feeling of jyaki, the large red pants flapping behind her, since she wasn't used to walking in them. "You should stay behind, it's dangerous!" She didn't feel like Kaede's sister; that was Kikyou. It felt more like what she felt about Shippou, not wanting to see her hurt.

"Onee-sama!" Kaede yelled, running after Kagome as she slowed down as she saw someone else, much more disturbing than the youkai. A woman, a miko, as Kagome knew her, stood in the field with a naginata, her long black hair unbound over her dark blue miko-style outfit.

_Tsubaki?_ Kagome's mind raced, knowing that Kikyou's face was set slightly in shock. _Was this the miko we were supposed to meet? _But then she was slowly calmed down as she remembered, and made it appear that she thought nothing wrong. _That's right…Kikyou and her were friends…sort of. There's nothing to be afraid of her now, is there?_

Kaede raced to catch up. "Onee-sama! Kikyou onee-sama!"

If there was any danger in Tsubaki, which she couldn't help but suspect from what she had heard about it, Kagome didn't want Kaede to get caught up in it. It was hers (technically Kikyou's) and Tsubaki's fight. "Don't come any closer, Kaede!" Kagome told her, seeing the girl stop instantly a few yards away.

Kaede looked at the woman who was standing near her sister, seeming to recognize her, and asked, "That person…isn't she…a miko named Tsubaki-sama?"

Tsubaki came closer, glancing at Kaede. She looked different than Kagome had seen her. Her hair was black, and she seemed less bent on revenge. Still, there was a gleam in that miko's eyes that sent shivers up her spine. "So, that child is Kikyou-dono's younger sister, huh?"

Kagome was about to reply, when suddenly, the sky grew dark and purple with the jyaki above them. She stepped back a bit, usually when there was this big of jyaki, it meant that Inuyasha was there to protect her when things got bad. _What? Am I supposed to fight all this alone?_

Tsubaki, rather than alarmed, seemed pleased. "Isn't this good, Kikyou-dono?" she seemed to have noticed Kagome's uneasiness when she said, "I should be enough to handle things here. Stand aside with your little sister."

Hearing Tsubaki, the miko that had tried to kill her and her friends fifty years later, talk to her as if she was a coward, made Kagome's blood boil. It didn't matter that she was worried that Inuyasha wasn't there to protect her, she was angry now. _Who does she think I am! If I am Kikyou, then I should be able to do better than her! _Smirking to herself, Kagome said, "Don't worry."

Tsubaki turned to her, with amused eyes. "That is so typical of you. Even if your sister is present at this battle, her little heart won't break, you think?"

Kagome wasn't worried about Kaede. When she was an old woman, she stood up to far worse than this. Kagome knew that Tsubaki's "worries" were only to try and discredit her. _Just as I thought, Kikyou and Tsubaki aren't friends. They're rivals, it seems. _

Suddenly, from the purple cloud above them, came several screeching youkai. Kagome had never seen so many before, and she gripped her bow, feeling a bit frightened. She would have to fight this battle alone, but she would do it. She _could_do it. After all, she _was _Kikyou now.

Kagome heard Kaede scream from behind her "Youkai!" Kagome turned, Kikyou's hair swinging behind her as she saw the girl hide behind a rock for safety.

One youkai growled and came close to Kaede, and purity arrow was all she needed to turn it to dust. _That's right…I have Kikyou's power now…_Kagome reminded herself, suddenly becoming much more confident. She saw another youkai, and proceeded to finish it in the same way as the first, fighting the urge to have a confident smirk at her amazingly increased abilities.

Tsubaki was also fighting the youkai, blue light from the blade of her naginata turning them to dust as well. The rival miko found another way to subtly taunt her. "You really are a cold woman."

Kagome found herself back to back with Tsubaki, feeling more cautious then comforted since she knew her true nature. "No, not a woman. A peerless miko, maybe?"

_What's she doing? _Kagome wondered, keeping her bow ready in case more youkai came by. _Why is she saying these things now? She's obviously up to something…_

Another arrow from Kagome finished off the last of the youkai, falling to pieces to the ground as it was killed. She couldn't help the small smile come on her face. _I did it!_

A second passed after the fight was over, allowing Kagome to catch her breath, before Tsubaki came closer to inspect the fallen youkai. "It seems that they weren't as strong as we thought." she commented dryly.

"Indeed." Kagome replied, lowering the smile keeping her voice as stoic and Kikyou sounding as possible.

As Kaede ran from her hiding spot to Kagome, Tsubaki turned her back on them. "Let us go back to the village for now. I'm sure they will be glad to hear that their youkai troubles are over."

As Tsubaki led the way back to the village, Kagome and Kaede followed, Kagome still feeling uneasy about her, knowing she was up to something.

They were walking towards the village, but Kagome turned back for a moment, to look upon where they had slain the youkai. _My first fight as Kikyou...But I wonder how many more I will have?_

_

* * *

_

Back at the village, Kaede and Kagome gathered their things, following Tsubaki to the edge of the village as the headman thanked them. "Thank you, great mikos." The village headman bowed his bald head. "I am so grateful that you have saved us."

Kagome bowed her head in return. "It was nothing." Kaede followed suit, yet Tsubaki did not.

"Take this as thanks, mikos." The village leader handed Tsubaki a small bag of coins, and it didn't escape Kagome's notice that Tsubaki seemed happy that it had been handed to her.

"We shall be nearby if you need us." Kagome told them, knowing it was what Kikyou would say, before she, Kaede, and Tsubaki, left the village. They traveled in silence until the path split in two directions. Kagome didn't need to ask which way as Kaede walked to the path they would take.

Even though Kagome knew what Tsubaki was, she bowed in farewell with Kaede to her anyway when it came time to part. As they turned to leave, Kagome heard Tsubaki ask her something. "Aren't you going to accept their reward?"

Kagome glanced back to her. When she was with Inuyasha, and they needed money to stay, perhaps she would have accepted money for slaying youkai. But Kagme knew that Kikyou had a home to return to, so there was no point in it. "No, you can have it, if you want."

"I see. Thanks, anyway." Tsubaki replied. After Kagome had gone a little way further, Tsubaki called her attention one more time. "Kikyou-dono, As a fellow traveling miko, I have a word of advice."

Kagome stopped and turned back, interested in Tsubaki's so called "advice". The look in Tsubaki's eyes gave Kagome a bad feeling. _This is it…_

"A miko must abandon her human heart in order to achieve power." Tsubaki told her, obviously on the verge of grinning. "In the case of a woman, this applies to love as well."

That word hit Kagome like a ton of bricks. _Love? _What did love have to do with anything? She loved Inuyasha, but it had never—She expelled a breath trying to steady herself. _Calm down, I am Kikyou…how would Kikyou react? _Turning back, Kagome faced Tsubaki, an almost glare in her dark eyes. "'Love', you say?" An uncontrollable Kikyou-like smirk came across her face as Kagome continued, "You think I would?"

Kagome caught the red flash in Tsubaki's eyes, remembering all too well what that was. Her blood ran cold. _A curse!_

"Don't forget, you must extinguish love. You must never hold a man dear." continued Tsubaki, "If such a man were to appear, you would suffer an untimely death."

_Kikyou would brush it off…_ Kagome thought, suspecting that her shared soul in the current situation gave her an advantage in knowing how Kikyou thought. "I'll remember that." Kagome said with a slight, almost amused smile on Kikyou's face, and then turned back on the path, leading Kaede away from the dangerous Tsubaki.

Once they had gotten far enough away, Kagome knew she had to voice her thoughts. "She's a cunning one. Tsubaki, that is."

"Huh?" Kaede looked back at her as they walked on, confused.

Kagome replied, appearing not at all alarmed, as Kikyou should, though inside, she was worried. "She placed a curse on me."

Now Kaede looked concerned. "A curse?"

Kagome didn't want to worry Kaede. "Don't worry. It's nothing to be afraid of." Kagome knew, what would come next, though the irony of the statement was sickening. "Would I actually fall in love?"

_You do, Kikyou. _Kagome remembered. _You fall in love with Inuyasha…and Naraku tricks you both into thinking the other betrayed another, and then you die!_

Though she masked her feelings for Kaede, Kagome began to panic. _If I don't do something, then I will…_

Then, Kagome was hit with a wonderful idea. _Wait…I want to find a way to get back, but suppose I don't…Suppose Inuyasha comes and falls in love with me, thinking I'm Kikyou… then maybe…_

_I could save them!

* * *

_

A/N: It's so weird, trying to get Kagome to say Kikyou's lines unflinchingly, so not every line is going to be canon. I'm going to try to keep it as close to the original as possible, since I just love that episode, but sometimes, I have to admit, Kagome does not equal Kikyou, so I have to change a line or two.


	3. The Shikon no Tama

A/N: This is one of those stories where I just can't wait to write it! I've actually written several chapters in advance, waiting until the day of update to edit them (I hate editing, so I put it off as long as possible.)

But anyway, it seems that you guys like where this is going, so I usually can't wait to write this. Hopefully,you guys will like it to the end.

**Chapter 3: The Shikon no Tama**

It took the rest of the day for Kagome and Kaede to get back to the village. Kagome didn't really know the way back; she was almost following Kaede as they took the path near the river. Of course, she wasn't _completely _lost; Kagome sometimes recognized landmarks from her travels with Inuyasha, but it seemed that fifty years could shift your perspective on landscape, especially if you were seeing it through someone else's eyes.

She was fully relieved when, at dusk, she and Kaede were finally greeted with the sight of the wooden huts she was familiar with. The village didn't seem all that different then what she had known it to be, just so many different faces.

As she and Kaede approached the village, thoughts focused on rest after the long day, the village people greeted her. "Welcome back, Kikyou-sama!" the said enthusiastically.

_Kikyou is well liked in the village, it seems. _Kagome thought. _Well, after all, she was their miko. _

An older village man approached her. "Kikyou-sama, this morning some youkai exterminators came asking about you."

That took Kagome by surprise, her eyes widening slightly. _Youkai exterminators? Sango-chan's people! They're alive now, aren't they? But, what would they want with me—Kikyou? _she corrected herself.

"Since we said you were away, they'll come again tonight." he finished, not knowing that the woman in front of them couldn't wait until they came.

_I can finally see what they all looked like, together as a group…I bet it was a sight to see…_

Remembering she was in front of all these villagers, Kagome put aside her surprise and put the Kikyou mask of her emotions. "Youkai exterminators? For what reason, I wonder?" Kagome internally winced. Trying to make herself sound like Kikyou was harder than it looked.

After more greetings, soon the village people left her as Kagome and Kaede walked to their hut, the same hut that Kaede had fifty years ago. Kaede ran in without a second thought, but Kagome took greater care in pushing past the bamboo curtain, seeing what was inside. It looked about the same, the only exceptions were a few things moved around and the two mattresses on the floor, instead of one.

Kaede immediately set down the small pack she had been carrying since they left the other village that morning, and smiled up at her. "Isn't this great, Onee-sama? Exterminators are asking about you now!"

Kneeling down on the floor and putting her bow down, Kagome sighed, "Yes, I suppose it is interesting."

Kaede followed suit by also sitting down. Blinking, Kaede looked up at her. "You aren't at all excited, Onee-sama?"

_Yes, but Kikyou wouldn't tell you that…_ Sighing, Kagome replied, "It is interesting, I suppose. After all, the exterminators are supposed to be the elite in slaying youkai."

"But why do you think they want to talk to you?" The young girl asked.

_She does ask so many questions! _Kagome thought, remembering how her own brother was like this. But, she couldn't help but like it. She had always wanted a sister, only to have Souta as a sibling. And now Kaede looked up to her as if she was her older sister…except she wasn't. Nonetheless, Kagome couldn't help but like it a little bit. "I do not know, Kaede, but I suppose we shall soon find out."

"Onee-sama, can I wait outside to see when they come?" Kaede asked, her eyes pleading.

"Are you sure you aren't tired?" she asked, worried about her as if she was her own sister.

Kaede shook her head. "No, I'm still wide awake."

"Then you can wait for them, just as long as it doesn't get too late." Kagome agreed, the girl running out of the hut with glee.

While Kaede waited for them, Kagome lit a candle and waited for this force of exterminators that was too come. In the nighttime silence of the hut, Kagome began to think about her situation. _I still don't understand why I was brought here. Was it an accident, or am I supposed to walk the path that Kikyou walked? _

She absent-mindedly looked at the roof of the hut, lost in thought. _I don't understand…how am I supposed to know what to do? Will I be able to save her from dying? Or will it be like it with her…that she never saw it coming…_

_No, that's not possible. _Kagome corrected herself. _I know about Naraku and how Inuyasha didn't betray her, but still…_

_Will I be stuck here forever? _

_And if I am...will I always have to pretend to be Kikyou?_

Suddenly, from the village, she heard someone call, "Kikyou-sama!"

The younger Kaede burst into the hut, a wide smile on her face. "Onee-sama! Hurry up and get out of the house! They're here!"

Standing up, Kagome couldn't help but have a smile on her face, despite how un-Kikyou she thought it was. "All right, but you go to bed now, Kaede. You need your rest."

Obedient to her older sister, Kaede nodded and came back in the hut, taking one last look outside. Kagome stood up and , pushed past the bamboo curtain to see about ten men, all dressed in the exterminator's uniforms and carrying weapons almost certainly made from parts of youkai. There appearance was no less than what Kagome had expected, looking like a fierce opponent to any youkai.

_So, these were Sango's kinsman, in the prime of their existence…_

As she stepped out, she felt raindrops upon her, and realized she had completely missed the light rainstorm in her fascination.

A burly man, dressed in a green exterminator's outfit, approached her, bowing first. When he came up, Kagome could see his hair was tied back into a small pony tail, almost a bit like what Miroku had. His face seemed to be cut rather roughly, his face square and tan. "Miko-sama, we come before you with a task we wish of you." His voice was deep, and he seemed to be somewhere in his thirties.

She gave a bow in return, curious. "Yes, what is it that you wish of me?" Kikyou's polite voice asked.

"You have great power, miko-sama." the exterminator started. "And we know your powers of purification must be equally powerful. We have an object for you, miko-sama, that we would ask you to purify, removing its tainted aura and the harm it can inflict on the world."

"What is the object?" Kagome asked, having a familiar feeling that she knew what it was…

The exterminator walked forward, placing a small, round object in her palms. Kagome looked down at it, her eyes open as she stared. It was a small, pink jewel, with a slight dark purple aura encircling it. _It's…It's the…_

"The Shikon no Tama." the exterminator explained. "It is a jewel that has the power for good or for evil. When used by a youkai, it increases their powers of evil. But if it was purified, it can be used for good as well. The jewel can only disappear when a wish is made upon it, a pure wish when its completely purified, and selfish wish if it is soiled with hate."

Kagome continued to look down at the Shikon no Tama, fascinated. This was the object that she had broken fifty years later, that she and Inuyasha were searching for any shards of it, the object that Naraku wanted to increase his power...and what drove him to set Kikyou and Inuyasha against each other. _So this is how it all began…with the exterminator's giving Kikyou the Shikon no Tama to purify. _"You ask of me to purify this jewel to keep the youkai from using its power?" She glanced back at the leader of the exterminators.

"Yes, miko-sama." he replied. "If a youkai got its hands on it, the results would be disastrous."

She didn't need to hear it from him to know. Kagome glanced back at the clan of the exterminators. _I don't even need to pretend to be Kikyou to know what to say..._"I shall purify it."

Bowing once more, the leader of the exterminators said, "Thank you, miko-sama. We owe you our deepest gratitude." And with that, the exterminators left, their booted feet splashing in the puddles as they left swiftly in to the night.

As Kagome looked back at the jewel, wondering how she would purify it, Kaede came back out of the hut, rubbing her eyes. "Onee-sama, what's going on?" The girl suddenly gasped when she saw the glow of the jewel. "That is…"

Kagome bent her hands to show the jewel resting in her palms. "It's called the Shikon no Tama." she informed her. "I've been entrusted the task of purifying its polluted aura."

Kaede could only stare at the jewel, in wonder, before Kagome had to stifle a yawn. "It's late, Kaede. Let's go back to bed. It's been a long day."

_Yes, it has been. _Kagome added silently. _I woke up this morning in a different body, in a different time, I was cursed by Tsubaki, and now I have been given the task of purifying the Shikon no Tama._

She slipped under the blanked of her palled, holding the Shikon no Tama to her chest, knowing that it would begin to purify it._ It's been a weird day…and if this is a dream, I wish it was over!_

_

* * *

_

Of course, the next morning when Kagome woke up, she was in for a surprise. As she opened her eyes, she gasped as she saw the Shikon no Tama, and also panicked about finding herself in Kikyou's body once more. But the shock wore off before Kaede had noticed anything, and she remembered the previous day.

_I thought for sure that once I went to sleep, I'd wake up where I should be. _Kagome thought grimly, as she looked upon the Shikon no Tama. Keeping it close to her body made it pure, as she had been told by the old Kaede fifty years later, so she knew it was the only way to begin. While Kaede was out picking herbs, Kagome searched the hut, eventually finding the unusual necklace on which to hang the jewel from, to purify it.

With her gaining the Shikon no Tama, Kagome thought that soon Inuyasha would show up, and though he wouldn't know who she was, it would at least provide her with some comfort. But that was not the case.

The Shikon no Tama was barely in her possession when the youkai began attacking. Every day it was something else, from a giant centipede, to a crow youkai, to snake and lizard-like youkai, oni, mononoke, and any other kind of monster came after the Shikon no Tama hearing of its power.

Every night, she expected in the morning to wake in her own body, back with Inuyasha. But every morning, Kagome was disappointed. The days had turned into weeks that she was in Kikyou's body, having to train herself to think and speak like Kikyou.

Fighting youkai around the clock like this became tiring, and soon, Kagome forgot about going back, even sometimes forgetting who she was, considering that in all aspects, she was Kikyou. The only thing keeping her going was the knowledge that she would see Inuyasha soon.

But how long? How long would she have to wait until he came? Days, weeks, months? Was there anyway to find him if he didn't come? But she couldn't yet give up hope. If she was living in Kikyou's life, then he would come. He _had_ to.

The villagers also treated her different as the long month went on. She was respected by most of the villagers, especially the children that sometimes wanted to play with her, but the girls her own age weren't as nice. Most village girls Kikyou's age were getting married, but with her being a miko that renounced love (Well, Kikyou did, anyway) was something they didn't understand.

Once while walking through the village, she bend down to pet a small, white dog that reminded her of Inuyasha, when she overheard some girls talking…about her. The voices were coming from behind the temple. "You know, that miko is odd." one girl with a high pitched voice said. "The way she has no expression is creepy."

"And she doesn't flirt with the men, either." Another replied. "I heard that mikos have to give up love, but I didn't believe it until she came along."

"She just thinks she's better than us." the first replied. "She's a miko with incredible powers, and we're just common village girls. Besides, she has too much power, have you seen it? The power to kill youkai in a single shot—not just kill them, but disintegrate them—it's inhuman."

Kagome couldn'tlisten to itanymore. She gave a small glare towards where they were talking, and then walked back towards her hut. It hurt, despite that they weren't technically talking about her. _I have done nothing wrong.__But they are only human, I can forgive them._

Looking up at the clear blue sky, she couldn't help it, she smirked a little. _Look at me, I've been in this body for so long, that I'm beginning to think like Kikyou…_

But her face fell at that. _How much longer, though? _

_Inuyasha…please come soon…

* * *

_

A/N: Wow. Big time jump in this chapter, but oh well. Inuyasha hasn't shown up yet, because that's the way it is in the episode. Be paitent. He'll show up soon.

(Also, for LoaH fans, did you notice Little Yasha:D)


	4. A Familiar Face

A/N: I made it through my tests! AP History wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but I did kinda fluff my way through two essays though…

The SAT also wasn't as horrible as previously assumed, but it took FOREVER! I was sitting in that room for about SIX HOURS taking that stupid test.

I had better get a good score on that one, because there is no way they can make me take a six hour test all over again.

**Chapter 4: A Familiar Face**

Kagome knelt in front of the altar in the temple, locked in prayer. The Shikon no Tama was on a stand in front of her, glowing a pure pink.

She lifted her head up, gazing at the jewel in which the fate of the world hung fifty years later. "It should be fully pure by now." She said out loud, Kikyou's soft voice filling the temple.

Sighing as she stood up, Kagome thought, _Now that it's completely pure, not as many youkai will come after it. If the vilest youkai touched the pure Shikon no Tama, it would vaporize them instantly. _

Kagome paused after that statement, blinking in surprise. She rolled her eyes. _There I go again, thinking like Kikyou. I've been in her body for so long that I can't help but think like her._

She turned and walked out of the temple, squinting slightly at that bright orange sunset as she slid open the doors. Kagome glanced down at herself, seeing Kikyou's clothes, and knew her face was no one but Kikyou's. _Has it really been a month already?_

_I wonder what happened back there…Did time go backwards...Or am I just in a coma or something? If I am, I hope Inuyasha isn't too worried…_

A tragic sigh escaped her as Kikyou's eyes glanced downward in heavy thought. _Inuyasha…_

Suddenly, a cry broke through her glum. "Kikyou-sama!"

Kagome's head shot up and lookedaround for who had said it, when another call came. "Kikyou-sama! Come quick! There's a youkai!"

Though Kikyou would never do this, Kagome couldn't help but give an annoyed grunt. _Another youkai, huh? _Day in, day out, that's all she did. Fight youkai, and purify the Shikon no Tama. Was there anything else to this life of being Kikyou?

However, Kikyou would never shirk her duty to the village, and neither would Kagome.Once again, she found herselfrunning back to her hut, to grab her bow and arrows for another youkai fight.

Kaede was there, looking worried when her sister suddenly burst in. "Onee-sama! Is it a youkai?"

"Yes, Kaede." Kagome quickly explained, grabbing her weapon. "A youkai has attacked. Since I didn't see it in the village, it must be nearby in the forests."

The girl looked even more afraid as she asked, "Is it a big youkai?"

Kagome shook her head. "I don't know, Kaede." Glancing back at her, she could see the small fear she saw in Kaede's eyes whenever she went off to go find youkai. She manged to give her an encouraging smile. "Don't worry, Kaede. It is nothing to worry about. I'll be back soon."

And with that, Kagome raced out of the hut, bow and arrows in hand. She ran through the village, seeing alarmed villagers faces, like she always saw when there was a threat, and a few animals, including the small white dog she had seen earlier, looking fearful as well.

It was like this at every battle; the villagers would hear of the youkai and be afraid while she went to fight it alone, and once it was over, they would praise her for being the savior of the village. But after that, they would say things about her behind her back. _All people are fickle, I suppose. _She reminded herself as she entered into the dark forest as she felt the great youki of the youkai.

Kagome notched an arrow in her bow, and continued walking in the forest, following the youki. It didn't take her long to find the youkai, which appeared to be an overgrown brown lizard with green eyes. It snarled and its eyes seemed to light up when it recognized the miko that protected the Shikon no Tama. It sat up on its hind legs, seeming to be twice as tall as her.

Kagome glared through Kikyou's eyes as it opened it's spiky mouth and spoke, "Shikon no Tama…"

"You will not have the Shikon no Tama." Announced Kagome in a threatening tone, gripping the arrow notched fiercely. "Now get out of here, and your life will be spared."

The lizard gave an angry snarl at her proclimation. "You will die, miko!" and with that it attacked, lunging at her, it's mouth open and ready.

Kagome was more than prepared. The arrow she had strung flew, striking the lizard near it's right arm, causing it to fall back and snarl as it saw the bolt stuck at the shoulder joint.

Another arrow soon joined it, and this time it was a purity arrow, hitting nearly the same spot as the first, with pink light exploding as it hit. Blood spurted as the lizard fell back, mouth open and hissing in pain; she had blown its arm off.

Kagome knew from experience that it was not time to get cocky. Some youkai could attack strongest when thought to be at their most weak. Another arrow was already strung as the lizard pounced back fast enough to get Kagome to jump back, Kikyou's large pants getting in the way slightly as she landed on her back, the youkai above her.

A gasp escaped her as it jumped up topounce on her, and without a moment's hesitation she rolled, a small piece of her white sleeve getting caught in the claws and ripping. Kagome jumped up, feeling a part of Kikyou's hair coming undone from the bow holding it back and falling over her shoulder as she readied another arrow to fire.

Her arrow flew true, but the lizard was quick this time, it dodged and jumped closer, forcing Kagome to use her bow to slash at it, pink light glowing from the wood. Again the lizard cried in pain as the purification powers burned his belly, angering him even further.

Finally, the lizard had enough. It didn't care if it died, as long as it could take this miko with it. Charging, with its claws raised, Kagome only had seconds to decide how to dispose of it. In a flash, she thrust out her right hand, pink light collecting in the palm before it exploded inches away from the lizard, Kagome having to close her eyes as she felt the blast of miko powers, and hearing the youkai's dying cry.

When she opened her eyes, pieces of the destroyed youkai fell to the ground, its blood everywhere, and she was panting from the amount of energy she had used. She had never had to use that much before to get rid of an insignificant youkai.

Kagome felt an ache all over, mostly from the amount of energy used, and knew she had certainly received some scrapes at the end. All she wanted now was to go back to the hut and rest, for a glorious few hours of sleep before the cycle of fighting would begin again.

The sun sunk beneath the sky, darkening the clearing, while Kagome suddenly felt some strange youki nearby. It wasn't as much as usual youkai, yet what was there seemed to be powerful. _Looks like my fighting for tonight isn't over. _She thought grimly, feeling her tired self protest.

She glanced back, her eyes locking on a tree where she felt the youki, but she saw no one. _So they're hiding…perhaps they're hiding from me, seeing what I did._

Kagome held a small smile on her face. _If they do decide to fight, I'll give them a fight they'll never forget. _

Suddenly, to her surprise, the youki faded away. What was going on?The youkai hadn't left;she hadn't heard anything move. Could it hide its youki perhaps? It certainly was possible; Naraku had done it before.

Finally, tired of its games, Kagome called out, "How long do you intend to hide?"

There was no answer. She turned around fully, Kikyou's eyes glaring as lightning flashed nearby, illuminating her face and giving her an eerie look.

Another flash of lightning, before rain started falling down. It didn't hinder either of them in the least. "Are you also after the Shikon no Tama?" Kagome spat, not hiding her annoyance this time.

Pause. Then, reluctantly, a voice she had heard before spoke, "'Shikon no Tama'? What's this Shikon no Tama thing?"

Kagome gave a small gasp, her eyes wide. That voice…that she had been longing to hear for so long…That voice that always comforted her…That voice she loved… She was beginning to think that he'd never come, but he did..."Inuyasha…?" she gasped, in a soft whisper.

She heard him stiffen in the tree, and remembered his dog ears. She began to panic. What if he heard?

Thinking quickly, Kagome masked her emotions once more under the Kikyou façade. She wasn't Kagome, meeting Inuyasha after waiting what seemed like forever to see him. She was Kikyou, a fierce youkai-killing miko, meeting a youkai that she couldn't see, that could be a potential threat. Her face went back to Kikyou's deadly serious one, her eyes once more glaring.

Neither of them spoke, the tension between the two enemies by nature thick. The only sound heard was the gentle pitter patter of the raindrops hitting the muddy ground.

Deciding it was time to say something, Kagome spoke, "If you don't know, that's just as well." Knowing it was what Kikyou would say. "However, if you don't want to be killed, don't come near me." The destroyed youkai on the ground was enough proof of that.

_But I won't kill you if you try, Inuyasha...I could never kill you. _Kagome silently added, turning away with Kikyou's glare still on her face. Inuyasha did nothing to stop her, just letting her go.

She had only gone a few steps when her tired muscles gave way in protest, Kagome falling to the muddy ground in exhaustion. Fighting youkai everyday had tired her out, and that power she had just used was the last straw. Shemade no move to get up, ground feeling oddly wonderful at that moment. It didn't matter that Inuyasha had just jumped down from the tree, running up to her, she didn't open her eyes or move.

He kneeled next to her, and it suddenly occurred to Kagome that he could really hurt her. She knew Inuyasha would never kill Kikyou when he loved her, but he didn't at the moment. What was to stop him from killing her this instant? What if he decided he wanted the Shikon no Tama without getting to know the miko that protected it, and tried to kill her?

But he did nothing. He just sat next to her, staring as the rain washed the dirt from her face. Kagome could almost see the look that would almost certainly be in his amber eyes, that calculating, puzzled look. She wanted to just open her eyes and gaze on his face once more, just to know for sure that he was there, but she was too tired.

It wasn't an option anyway, since a second later, she heard someone calling her name through the trees. "Kikyou-sama!"

Kagome could hear the small, frightened gasp come from Inuyasha, and he soon jumped up and darted away, as more voices joined the first. "Kikyou-sama!"

_They came to find me…_ was her only thought, as a young girl's voice pierced the clearing. "Onee-sama! Kikyou onee-sama! Onee-sama?" Kaede gasped and ran towards her, her sandals splashing through the rain covered ground. "Onee-sama!"

With the girl's hand pulling her arm up, Kagome decided to sit up, despite her protesting muscles. Opening her eyes, she saw the young girl, wearing a hat and a reed coat to keep off the rain. "Kaede?" she whispered, sitting up slowly, glancing around to see where Inuyasha had gone.

"Are you all right?" the young girl asked, but Kagome wasn't listening.

_Would Inuyasha really sit there if Kikyou fell like that? He'd have to…since this is fifty years ago…but…didn't he hate her at first? _This was puzzling her. From what Kagome had learned, Inuyasha did fight Kikyou at the beginning, but he hadn't done anything at that moment.

_I guess I'll have to ask him. _she decided, her mind for once at ease since the day a month ago she had ended up in the past.

_At least now I know he's here…Now I won't have to be afraid, since he's here…_

_Inuyasha…_

_

* * *

_

A/N: I think I did better on this chapter, since I got in a healthy mix of Kagome and Kikyou's personalities.

Although, I do like this scene done better in the episode. I do love human Inu.


	5. Enemies

A/N: Okay, okay, I was wrong. Apparently, my source that said episode 147 was going to be on the 10th lied. Apparently, it's going to air either the 17th or the 24th, and 148 the next week.

Adult Swim, can't you EVER make up your mind?

However, I'm most likely not going to watch those episodes, because I'm a little bit nervous about the dub. For one, Inuyasha attacks with "Sankon Tessou!" alot, so it's two hours of "Iron Rever, Soul Stealer!" which makes me, a hardcore Japanese dub fan, want to scream. I don't mind the other attacks that they translated, but...gah. The English dub of that annoys me.

Also, I'm worried about the English performance. I think this may be Kappei Yamaguchi (Inuyasha) and Noriko Hidaka (Kikyou)'s best preformance. After all, I wouldn't have liked the episode so much without the beautiful voice acting. So...yeah, just warning you Viz, if you screwed this up, you shall face my wrath.

**Chapter 5: Enemies**

The next morning when Kagome awoke, she found herself happier than she had ever felt in a long time.

_Inuyasha's finally here!_ An uncontrollable smile was plastered on her face. _I can't believe it! He's finally here!_

Unfortunately, she didn't know where he was. He had fled the night before, and it was anyone's guess to where he was now. Even how Kagome knew him, Inuyasha wasn't one to stick around like this unless he had a good reason.

Yet, Kagome knew she could find him, if he was close. She would be able to sense his youki, as Kikyou had. She had hope that she would be able to find him again, and perhaps talk to him. Kagome wanted to know what Inuyasha was like before she met him.

_I never had the chance to learn his past, since he never really told me about this time. _Kagome had to admit that she was curious as to what happened between Inuyasha and Kikyou. She wanted to know how they had met, how they fell in love, how much they had loved each other, and so on.

And now that she was Kikyou, that thought didn't go away. _I know it's not right to pry, but I want to know about this before I go back._

Though, she had to remind herself once more that it was still an 'if' situation. She didn't know how to get herself back, and she doubted sitting around like this was going to help.

Sighing, she decided to get up, since Kaede had already left. Judging by the light, it seemed that she had overslept quite a bit due to her ordeal the night before. Though sleep had helped lift some of the exhaustion, she still felt slightly fatigued.

Before she left the hut, she grabbed her bow and arrows for good measure. There was no telling if there was going to be yet _another _youkai attacking the village today. Kagome hoped not. Though it was slightly selfish of her not to want to defend the village like this, she didn't care. She was tired.

_I wonder if Kikyou ever wanted to stop this life. _Kagome thought grimly, staring up at the clear blue sky. _I wonder if she just wanted to stop being a miko and be an ordinary woman, and never have to fight constantly and living a life of bloodshed._

Sighing, Kagome wandered away from the village, and allowed herself to think of other things. _I had always thought it was because of what Kikyou had gone through that made her so cold and unwelcoming, but…it could have been this as well. I don't know if I could stay happy doing this all my life…_

Stopping in the middle of the woods, Kagome closed her eyes, seeing Kikyou as she knew her in her mind. _Kikyou…perhaps…I'm starting to understand you…_

"Hey, Kikyou!"

Kagome's eyes snapped open, having heard her—_Kikyou's_ name being called. She turned around, and Kikyou's dark eyes went slightly wide at seeing Inuyasha standing there, a forced smirk on his face.

"So, the Shikon no Tama is a mysterious jewel that can increase a youkai's power, right?" He asked, still keeping the grin on his face, as if he held the upper hand in some game they played.

Kagome could only stare at him, trying to get her heart to calm down, fighting the urge to run into his arms and let him protect her. But this Inuyasha was different; this Inuyasha didn't know her, and at the moment, didn't like Kikyou. _He's not the Inuyasha I know! _She mentally screamed, getting herself out of the brief moment of weakness.

Like always, she was forced to set 'Kagome' aside and let 'Kikyou' emerge. _What would Kikyou say? I—_she _doesn't know him yet!_ "That voice…" she said, putting the sound of trying to remember in the miko's voice. "I remember hearing it before…"

Only then did she let recognition and slight annoyance into Kikyou's face. "I see. You're that person that ran and hid before."

That seemed to get him mad. Inuyasha glared at her, his pride seeming to get the better of him. He clenched his fists and readied himself in a battle pose, showing his fangs as he yelled, "Shut up! Hand over the Shikon no Tama!" and then he lunged at her.

Kagome only had a few seconds to make her decision. _No…this isn't the Inuyasha I know…he could really kill me!_

Arrows flew, and Inuyasha had a mixed look of genuine surprise and expectation as each arrow pierced his arms. "What?" he exclaimed as the arrows pinned him to a tree, growling and struggling against them.

Kagome still held the bow in her hands, the string still vibrating from her fast arrows, as she kept her face Kikyou-calm, though inside, she had panicked. She could have accidentally hit him somewhere else. Inuyasha glared at her, pulling against the arrows, almost expecting her to say something else.

_Kikyou would talk to him a bit more…_ "I understand. I thought your youki was different." She said calmly, making it seem as if she had just learned this. "You're a hanyou, aren't you?"

That got another fierce growl from Inuyasha as Kagome lowered her bow. She knew why he would growl; before she had really gotten to know him, and sometimes even now, he hated being called a hanyou as an insult.

"If you use the Shikon no Tama, you could become a full youkai." Kagome continued, not letting her performance as Kikyou fail now. "To that end, do you desire your own place in the world, hanyou?" she continued, internally wincing as she heard Inuyasha's growls come louder.

_I'm sorry, Inuyasha…_she mentally added as she finished, "Do you think that is true strength?"

As always, Inuyasha had to have the last word. "Stuff it!" he roared, struggling once more against the arrows pinning him to the tree. "I'll become a great youkai, I've decided that much!" his words carried less enthusiasm then Kagome had expected, but nevertheless, hearing the one she loved say so frightened her.

His voice got lower, deeper, more threatening as he growled, "And when that happens, you'll be my first victim."

_That _caused Kagome's eyebrows to rise. Inuyasha had actually threatened Kikyou like that? He threatened to kill Kikyou, much like he had threatened to kill her when she first met him? She knew that Inuyasha and Kikyou had been 'enemies' in the beginning, but she had never expected it to be like this.

A small smirk escaped Kagome as she turned away, always aware to keep her deception as Kikyou alive. "I purify the Shikon no Tama." Kagome told him proudly. "As long as I protect it, you can do no such thing."

It was a few seconds before Inuyasha replied, yelling like he had before, "Don't make me laugh! You reek of the blood of youkai!"

Kagome had started walking away, but that statement; that cold, uncaring thing he had said caused her to stop, and remember what she had been thinking right before he had come up on her. It wasn't like she hadn't wondered about it before. _How can a miko purify a thing if she continues to kill like this? _She had asked herself that question a month ago when the cycle of constantly killing youkai had been starting. Now, however, she had learned not to think of that question, since slaying youkai on a daily basis was a common thing.

But hearing Inuyasha put it that way…

He continued mocking her in a forced tone, his pride causing him to continue, "What's wrong? Did I hurt your feelings Kikyou?"

It wasn't so much the statement now, though that comment previously had stung. But hearing Inuyasha address her like that…just simply calling her Kikyou, was for some reason causing her heart to fall.

She stopped in her tracks, allowing her eyes for only a moment to show their true feelings. _Why do I feel sad about this? I know he doesn't know who I am yet, but…_

That feeling, plus Kikyou's sharp temper caused Kagome to turn back, glare, and declare, "If you don't want to be killed, don't come near me." in a serious, threatening tone. "You won't get a third warning."

Although, it couldn't escape Kagome's notice that she had just warned him he wouldn't get a second warning the night before…and somehow, she knew that's what Kikyou would have said. Kikyou didn't want to kill him now either? That was something she hadn't expected.

Kagome turned away, hearing Inuyasha struggle once more against the tree, not wanting to give up their match of insults yet. "Keh! I'm not through yet!" he called after her. "If you run, I'll definitely find you again!"

Kagome felt the strong urge to roll her eyes like she usually would in this situation. Once his temper got started, there was no stopping it…

"I'll track down you're intolerable stench soon enough!" he called back as she left him pinned to the tree, leaving that part of the forest.

"Stench, huh?" she muttered, trying to let it slide past her.

Yet that comment stayed with her, causing Kagome to feel even more puzzled than before. Inuyasha had once told her that he hated her scent…on the day they met. He had later confessed on the night of the new moon that he thought she had smelled nice…and that he was lying the day he told her he couldn't stand the smell of her…

* * *

"_Kagome…you smell nice…" he had told her, when she had first seen his human form, and she was afraid he might die._

"_Wh—what? I thought you said you hated my scent!" she replied, flustered, yet knowing for some reason her heart was pounding…_

"_I…was lying…"

* * *

_

That was perhaps one of the first times she had begun to really fall in love with him. Even though he was more emotional in his human form, sometimes he did say the right thing, and that had been one of the very few times.

_I wonder…did he ever tell Kikyou that he liked her scent?_

But the moment she thought that, Kagome shook it away. It had been bad enough that she had been jealous of the dead miko when she had been in her own body. It was ridiculous to be jealous of her when she was in Kikyou's body instead.

_Now that I'm her…I'm learning a few things about her that I never knew._

_And I'm also learning a few things about myself, as well…_

_

* * *

_

A/N: For some reason, I really like this scene. Most of the scenes from now on, I'll like, because I just love these episodes.

And, as you can tell, the new moon episode is one of my all time favorites. I just wish Inuyasha would mention how much he likes her scent a little more often!


	6. Name I Heard so Long Ago

A/N: I didn't update yesterday because I literally came home from school and passed out, I was so tired. I still haven't quite recovered from those all nighters around testing time yet…

I actually awoke at 9, then had to scramble to get everything else done before I went back to bed.

**Chapter 6: Name I Heard So Long Ago…**

Kagome sat in the middle of the fields, the midday sun hanging high overhead as she stared down at the flower she had picked lost in thought.

Twirling the purple-tinged blossom between her fingers, Kikyou's face held a small smile as Kagome thought of one person: _Inuyasha…_

He was so different, when she had seen him before. He looked so…lost. So alone, like he used to look when she had first met him. Kagome had noticed the small change in his eye overtime, how they turned from being hard to finally softening as he began to trust and love again.

Sighing, Kagome knew that he must feel _something _for her—they were too close to be just friends. But what? Inuyasha didn't usually get close with anyone, but Kagome noticed how he changed around her…

But whatever he felt, it was always pushed back by the feeling he once held for Kikyou. Inuyasha could never forget her, or forget that Kikyou had died, which he blamed himself for. He had promised Kikyou he would protect her after he failed the first time, and he had never let go of that promise.

Kagome had always known that there could never be anything between them unless Inuyasha's promise to Kikyou was released…but she doubted that would happen unless Naraku was defeated.

She had always been jealous of Kikyou, since he could never forget her, but now that she was starting to understand Kikyou, she was beginning to realize why, after the tragedy they went through, Inuyasha was determined to keep his promise.

_I understand why Inuyasha would love Kikyou…_Kagome thought, letting the wind blow away the purple flower. _He was so alone…and she was the first person to reach out and show him kindness…but why would Kikyou, a woman determined to destroy all youkai, fall in love with him?_

Sighing once more, she told herself, _I guess I don't really understand some things…_

"Onee-sama!" a familiar voice called, making Kagome pull herself from her thoughts and remember her mask as Kikyou once more. She turned, and saw Kaede running up a hill, the little girl looking slightly afraid.

Kagome stood up, the red hakama of her miko clothes, swishing in the wind as she took her bow and arrows with her. "Yes, what is it, Kaede?" Kagome asked in Kikyou's voice.

"Kikyou onee-sama!" Kaede ran up to her sister, looking up at her with fear in the girl's eyes. "There's a…a youkai!"

Once again, Kagome felt the feeling of annoyance at being pulled away once more to exterminate youkai. But complaining was not an option. She alone kept the villagers safe, and neither Kikyou nor Kagome would want to shirk that duty. "Which way?" she asked, perhaps a lot less enthusiastic than Kikyou would have been.

Kaede pointed towards the forest where Kagome had first met Inuyasha. "I was picking herbs…and it just came up on me! I barely got away, onee-sama!"

_Inuyasha? _she wondered. "Kaede, what did this youkai look like?" she asked, curiously as Kaede began to lead her away into the forest. _Could it have been Inuyasha?_

"It looked like a giant catfish." Kaede explained. "It suddenly came out of the small pond in the middle of the forest…It scared me, onee-sama!"

Kagome gave a small sigh in relief. _So it wasn't Inuyasha…_

She slung her arrows across her back and made sure her bow was taught as they entered into the leafy canopy, Kaede leading the way to the youkai. Kagome, however, was able to use Kikyou's miko powers to follow its youki and locate it. Kaede had spoke the truth, by the size of the youki, it was a large youkai, yet it didn't even hold half the power that Inuyasha's youki had, and he was just a hanyou.

When Kaede brought her to the large pond in the forest, Kaede hid behind a tree, looking on as Kagome walked forward, stringing her bow. Just as she had an arrow ready, the waters below began to ripple, waves being sent forth from within as a great shape was beginning to emerge.

There was a burst of water as a large blue catfish leaped into the air, the look in its eyes and on its face showing its intent to kill, yet it was not powerful enough to challenge her, the miko who protected the Shikon no Tama. One purity arrow sent from her was enough to blast away the giant catfish in pink light, turning it to dust.

As the waters began to fall back into the pond, the force rippling her clothes, Kagome lowered her bow and said, "It's over."

Kaede ran from her hiding place, over to her sister. "Kikyou onee-sama!"

Smiling down at the girl that believed her to be her older sister, Kagome asked, "Now, shall we go home, Kaede?"

Kaede nodded enthusiastically. "Yes!"

They were about to leave, when Kagome felt some other youki around. Some _familiar _youki. She turned, and saw Inuyasha standing there, his claws drawn. "You!" she said, her eyes a bit surprised.

Inuyasha once again held the trademark smirk on his face, revealing his fangs as he demanded, "Kikyou, give me the Shikon no Tama."

Now both Kikyou and Kagome were annoyed at his persistence. "You showed up again, huh?" she asked, nearly forgetting that she still didn't know his name as Kikyou.

Kaede, who had never seen Inuyasha before, hid behind her sister as the miko and the hanyou exchanged glares, both eyes showing intensity and hesitation.

"I _told _you I wasn't through yet!" Inuyasha yelled, trying to sound intimidating, though Kagome stood her ground. "Today will be the end of this." the hanyou said in a low, serious voice. "Hurry up and send the brat running."

And the mention of herself, Kaede tightened her grip on her sister's hakama, afraid. Kagome looked down at her, wanting to get her out of harm's way. "Kaede, please step back."

She stepped back hesitantly, still afraid for her sister. "Kikyou onee-sama…" she said, before sprinting away to hide safely behind a tree.

It was then Kagome looked back to her opponent, seemingly intent upon frightening her. But she would not relent. She could never be afraid of Inuyasha, not after who she knew he really was. They both exchanged long stares, Kagome unable to keep from thinking, _He's so alone now…he doesn't know how much I want to take away that loneliness from his eyes…_

Inuyasha put himself into a battle stance, with his claws raised, as Kagome drew an arrow on her bow, making it look like she intended her action, though she wouldn't shoot to kill. Of course, before they could start the fight, Kagome had a question for him. "I have one thing to ask." she said in a commanding voice. "On that night, why didn't you kill me? At that time, I would have been easy pickings."

Inuyasha replied gruffly but honestly, "Do you think I'm the type to take the head of a sleeping person?"

That caused Kagome to let out a Kikyou-like laugh, knowing full well Inuyasha wouldn't object to a sleeping youkai, if it was dangerous enough. "I see."

"What's so funny!" Inuyasha demanded, a slight growl escaping him at being left in the dark.

Kagome didn't immediately answer. She hadn't been planning on it, but the look in Inuyasha's eyes like he expected more, plus the feeling that more had been said made her continue. "Then I'll ask one last question." Somehow, Kagome knew Kikyou would have asked him now. "Hanyou, what is your name? You have a name, don't you? Unless it is just 'Hanyou'."

Of course, that got Inuyasha mad; Kagome knew it would be so. "Stop calling me 'hanyou' over and over!" he roared, shaking his fist in a warning, the glare in his eyes deepening.

"Then tell me your name!" she demanded, feeling more like Kikyou than ever. "I would have no reason to call you 'hanyou' anymore."

With that, there was a small silence, as Inuyasha's amber eyes lost their glare, and became more serious…more deep. "It's Inuyasha." he said simply, somehow making Kagome's eyebrows rise in slight surprise that he had given his name away so easily.

Though, Kikyou always had a retort. "Inuyasha, huh? I'll remember that."

Almost on cue, and fed up with this talk, Inuyasha charged, his eyes having changed back to a death glare. "Prepare yourself, Kikyou!"

Three quick arrows from Kagome dissolved the threat, pinning Inuyasha to a tree once again. Anticipation was replaced with surprise and then fear as Inuyasha looked upon her, as Kagome kept one last arrow in the bow, aimed at his heart. He flinched, as if waiting for the death blow.

But of course, it never came. Kagome could never kill off Inuyasha.

And for some reason, neither could Kikyou.

Kagome lowered her bow, and replaced the arrow in her quiver, turning around to walk away, not wanting to deal with an Inuyasha intent upon her death anymore. _I hope he comes around soon._

But Inuyasha wouldn't have it. "Wait a minute, wench!" he roared, sounding much like how he yelled at her whenever she sat him or tried to go back to her own time. "Why don't you ever finish me off?"

The answer was obvious to Kagome. _Because I can't kill you, dummy. I _love _you. _But Kikyou had a different answer to his question. Turning around so fast that her hair whipped around, she stated, "Don't come back here! I've already wasted enough arrows on you."

_That's what Kikyou would say, anyway. _Kagome silently added. _Because I'm still not so sure why she won't kill you._

Kagome turned and continued walking away, still pondering this question. It didn't make sense as she knew Kikyou. Kikyou was a cold hearted woman, who would kill any youkai that got in her way. Why was she sparing Inuyasha now, though he wanted the Shikon no Tama and threatened to kill her.

_Why? Why would Kikyou do this? Why would she start to fall in love with Inuyasha now?_

As Kaede joined her, glad that her older sister was all right, yet still puzzled, it was as if Kagome suddenly knew. Kikyou's eyes went wide as she thought in realization. _Perhaps…she was lonely in a miko's life. So lonely…that when she saw someone else who was as lonely as she was she thought they could share in each other's pain._

_She thought she could help him…and he her…

* * *

_

A/N: I know these chapters are short, but I keep thinking they'll be longer, but copying word for word (most of the time) makes it kind of short.

Anyway, I'll get it done on time next chapter anyway. If I hadn't been late yesterday, I wouldn't have been able to update on Saturday anyway, so I guess it was destined to be a day late.


	7. Changed Soul?

A/N: Sorry about the delay, guys. I know you're used to an update every other day, but this weekend was a killer. From Friday, to Sunday, my weekend was jam packed. Some activities were fun, some were not. Overall, it caused me to be extremely exhausted and to have very tired feet, so I ended up sleeping every spare moment I had.

Since the rush of the weekend is over, I expect no more delays like that. I'm trying to get this one out on time, since I'm really excited about the next fic, and I have already started on the outline.

Until then, though, **Lie to Me **is going until 20 chapters, so hope you enjoy it for that long.

**Chapter 7: Changed Soul?**

"Kaede, do you know what those herbs do?" Kagome asked, pointing to a leafy green in a basket in front of them.

After taking a second to inspect them, Kaede smiled up at the image of her sister and told her proudly, "They reduce swelling, onee-sama!"

Kagome smiled back at the young girl, pointing to another pile of herbs on the floor of their hut. "And what about those?"

"When boiled in water, they keep a fever down!" she told her, unable to keep herself from smirking proudly.

Giving a small laugh, Kagome told the girl, "You really know your herbs."

"I only know what you taught me, onee-sama!" Kaede grinned.

While they shared this moment of sisterly bonding, it was easy for Kagome to forget that she wasn't really Kaede's sister. She had always wanted a younger sister, but instead had gotten Souta, a little brother. It hadn't really mattered once she had turned into a teenager and had wanted to spend more time with friends than family, but old desires died hard. And now that she was Kikyou, with Kaede to look after, she couldn't help but admit that sometimes she enjoyed this role of older sister.

Although, just as easy as it was to forget that she didn't have a sister, it was just as easy to forget that she wasn't Kikyou, either.

It wasn't that she never forgot to the point of losing herself, but there would be sometimes, some thoughts, that she would forget for only a moment, only to instantly correct herself later. After all, no matter what the circumstance now, she could never be Kikyou. Kikyou was the graceful, beautiful miko that Inuyasha loved. And Kagome was just her reincarnation, who's love towards Inuyasha was unrequited.

_And besides, Inuyasha isn't really in love with Kikyou yet at all. _her smile fell as she remembered. _Right now, he hates my—Kikyou's guts. He threatened to kill her a few times, including just yesterday._

This caused Kagome to wonder, Kikyou's face looking away in pondering. _What caused him to start falling in love with her if he hated her right now? What started to make him fall in love as well?_

"Onee-sama?" Kaede asked, pulling Kagome from her thoughts.

Blinking as she adjusted back to reality, Kagome asked, "Yes, Kaede?"

"We're running low on that one." Kaede said, pointing to a nearly empty-herb basket. "May I go and get some more?"

Smiling back, Kagome replied, "Of course you can. Just be back soon."

Kaede grinned back at her sister. "Okay, Onee-sama!" and she left the hut.

Sighing, Kagome looked over at the piles of herbs in front of her. _I never knew she could get so excited about learning about herbs…after all, I just told her what she told me when she was an old woman…_

An amused smirk appeared on Kikyou's features as Kagome thought, _Well, that sounded weird._

As she was alone in the hut once more, Kagome decided to think of other subjects, particularly, Inuyasha. The last time she had seen him, yesterday, he was pinned to a tree, angry at her because she wouldn't kill him. He had looked so mad…It was usually the look he gave to youkai that he was ready to kill.

_So if Inuyasha hates me, then how is he going to start falling in love with me—Kikyou?_ she wondered. _After all, that's what's fated to happen, right? Unless I messed something up, which I hope I haven't…_

As Kagome racked her brains from what she had remembered learning about Inuyasha and Kikyou, eventually she had to give up. She had been given too little to figure out what was to happen now. Sighing, she knew she'd only have to sit back, and watch what was to happen to learn the full story.

Glancing around the hut, hoping to think of other things, Kagome spotted a bucket full of water, much like the one that had been there on the day she had woken up as Kikyou. Putting her fingertips to her cheeks, knowing who's visage she was touching, Kagome sighed mournfully, _I miss my face._

Though this time was interesting and she felt like she had to know what went on between Inuyasha and Kikyou, Kagome couldn't deny the fact that she missed who she was before. After all, there was something to be said for having a hot shower ready at the end of the day.

But, she wasn't as homesick to admit that she missed school, particularly math class. She did miss traveling around with Inuyasha, Shippou, Miroku and Sango, and sometimes even Kouga, however. She would have liked to have some cheerful chatter with Sango, and Miroku's flirtations with her exterminator friend to lighten the mood. Perhaps even a visit from the amorous Kouga, to make Inuyasha jealous, would be welcome here. But no, she was stuck here, fifty years ago, in someone else's body, alone.

_Not technically alone. _she reminded herself. _I have Inuyasha…but he hates me right now…_

A long, tragic breath came from her as she thought, _Inuyasha…_

"Onee-sama!" came the frightened cry of Kaede.

Kagome instantly shot up, grabbing her bow and quiver of arrows. There would only be one reason that Kaede would come back so quickly, sounding so frightened. _Youkai!_

As Kagome burst from the hut, so fast that Kikyou's hair flopped behind her, Kaede ran up to her. "Kaede, what's the matter?" Kagome asked, glancing around if there were any youkai around them.

As Kaede looked up at her, Kagome saw something different than what she expected. Kaede didn't look scared, like she did the other day when a youkai had come. She looked…worried instead. This caused Kagome to wonder. "Kaede, what happened?" Kagome asked again, her voice pressing for an answer.

"I was picking herbs, Kikyou onee-sama, when a youkai attacked me!" she explained, her voice a bit heavy since she had been running.

Kagome quickly glanced back to check to make sure she had enough arrows when she asked, "Where did it go, Kaede? I need to find it."

"Wait!" the young girl protested, pulling on her sister's red hakama to stop her. "You don't need to fight it."

To this, Kagome stopped her thoughts on how best to kill the youkai quickly and raised an eyebrow. "And why not, Kaede?"

"It's dead, onee-sama. It's just a pile of bones now." Kaede explained, looking happier. "It won't hurt anyone anymore."

_That _wasn't something that Kagome had expected. "You killed it, Kaede?"

The girl shook her head. "No, I didn't kill it. It was a giant centipede youkai, onee-sama. It wanted to take me hostage so you'd give it the Shikon no Tama, but before it could, I was saved."

This was something even more puzzling. She didn't know the villagers were adept to fight youkai like that. Nevertheless, the polite thing to do, despite what the villagers said about her, was to thank them. "By who, Kaede?"

Kikyou's sister looked up at her, her dark eyes, identical to her sister's, seeming to be trying to remember something. "It was that youkai—no wait, onee-sama, you said he was a hanyou, didn't you… "

Kikyou's eyes went wide at that, her mouth slightly open in surprise. "Inuyasha…? _Inuyasha _saved you?"

A smile on her face, Kaede nodded. "He said he didn't want any other youkai to get the Shikon no Tama, so he wouldn't let it take me."

After a pause, Kagome looked away, mumbling, "Right…"

The smile only seemed to blossom on Kaede's face as she told the image of her sister. "I don't understand why you fight him, onee-sama. He doesn't seem like that bad of a person, even if he is a hanyou."

Sighing, knowing that this unusual behavior from her beloved hanyou would be something else to ponder about, Kagome gave a half-smile to the little girl. "I know, Kaede, I know." Noticing the herbs that she held in her small hands, Kagome nudged her towards the hut. "Now, you go run along and put those with the rest, okay, Kaede?"

Wordlessly, Kaede nodded and went back into the hut, not noticing her sister's distress. Kagome had never really been great at psychology, but still, there had to be _some _reason for Inuyasha's unusual behavior.

Before she could fully ponder this, however, villagers came up to her, carrying a cart full of bones. "Kikyou-sama," they said in a greeting. "We have the bones of the youkai that attacked your sister. Shall we put them in the usual place where they can cause no harm?"

Kagome glanced at the bones. Her eyebrows rose ever so slightly as she realized she recognized them. They were the bones of the Mukade Jourou, the centipede youkai that had attacked her when she first came through the well. She gave a slight shudder in the memory, but did remember how Inuyasha had slashed the meat off the bones with one strike. The small, almost unnoticeable markings on these bones were the same, and there was no doubt that Inuyasha had slain the creature.

"Yes, let us pray they will do no more harm." She replied, sending them off as she took a walk through the village to think.

_So…trying to put this together, Kikyou and Inuyasha met a few days ago when she fought that youkai. Inuyasha wanted to kill her to gain the Shikon no Tama, and she wanted to kill him so he could not get it._

_But Kikyou couldn't kill him because she was lonely, and knew that he was lonely too. _

_And now Inuyasha suddenly saves Kaede…_

Once again, it didn't add up. She understood Kikyou's part, but what about Inuyashas? What motivation did Inuyasha have to love Kikyou?

When she was near the edge of the village, movement in the trees caught her eye. With her fast reflexes, Kagome turned sharply, Kikyou's hair fluttering behind her as she focused her eyes on the trees, just barely spotting a streak of silver and red dashing back into the forest.

Her pace quickened as her eyes widened yet again that day. _He was…watching me…Why would he watch me? Doesn't he have anywhere else to go?_

And then it hit her. _He doesn't have anywhere else to go…_

Kagome's heart saddened as she thought about it. _He's lonely…he has no one…Maybe that was it…Maybe he was lonely too…And Kikyou was the first woman that had shown him kindness, while Inuyasha had been the first man that had ever loved her, despite her being a 'heartless' miko…_

Kikyou's eyes looked tragic as Kagome mourned for both of their feelings. _What a terrible thing to feel…_

"Kikyou-sama!" She turned, silencing her sad thoughts. It was the same, gruffly shaven villager that had approached her before with the cart full of bones.

"Yes?" Kikyou's voice inquired.

He gave a small bow in front of her. "We did what you said and have disposed of the terrible youkai's remains. It shall trouble us no longer, Kikyou-sama."

Though she had no real reason to ask, Kagome was curious. "What did you do with the bones?"

"We put them where we always put them." the villager replied, turning back to the village. "In the dry well in the forest."

The villager didn't notice her disbelieving stare as he walked away, nor did he notice the miko Kikyou, giving an annoyed sigh and falling to her knees in defeat. _So that's how it got there…_she thought, wishing she had asked to know where they were going to put the bones _before_ they disposed of them.

An amused smile was on Kikyou's lips as Kagome thought, _So I guess I'm learning a few things about my past as well…

* * *

_

A/N: This chapter was kind of boring, but I love the next one. Thus begins the Kikyou/Kagome and Inuyasha romance, so its getting cuter!


	8. Different, Yet the Same

A/N: You know, I think May is the worst month to be in school. Every day takes twice as long since you're counting down the days til it's over in your head, every minute just having to take FOREVER to remind you of your misery.

I think I'm going to cry tears of joy once vacation has started. If I can ever make it there, that is.

**Chapter 8: Different, Yet the Same**

The chilling water of the river splashed down on Kagome as she threw the water from the bucket over her, the feeling of the water instantly making her feel clean. She had taken off Kikyou's red hakama, the white part of the miko outfit long enough when not warn with the hakama to reach down near her ankles.

She closed her eyes as she savored the feeling, the icy water calming her. Because she was in the Sengoku Jidai and couldn't wash her hair every night she was here, a bath was a rare pleasure. Of course, it would have been better if she could have found the hot spring that lay somewhere in the forests around the village, but it seemed that going back fifty years had changed the landscape slightly, making it impossible for her to find it.

_Good enough. _She thought, opening Kikyou's dark eyes as the miko's wet, long hair fell around her, the cold feeling nice on a warm summer's day.

There were many things to think about as she washed herself. First, of course, was Inuyasha. _So, he threatens to kill me, tries to steal the Shikon no Tama, and then he suddenly saves Kaede? I thought I would learn to understand him, not ask more questions!_

However, while Kagome was thinking about him, she felt a familiar youki nearby. Her heart suddenly quickened its pace as she instantly recognized that youki. _Inuyasha…_

Where was he? She discreetly glanced around, if he was nearby, but didn't see him around her at all. Kagome knew he was watching her; she could feel those golden eyes piercing her skin. But where?

Glancing at the waterfall close to her, she suddenly spotted something at the top. Something _red. _Her eyes followed until she was met with a flash of red and silver darting back into the forest when they noticed she had caught on.

This caused Kagome to raise an eyebrow. _He was hiding up there? He was watching me?_

Suddenly, she was hit with many more questions about this hanyou she thought she knew, yet learned new things about him at every turn.

Hours later, late in the afternoon, Kagome decided on a stroll through the village, to let herself think. It seemed that Inuyasha was…obtaining a strange attraction to her…well, technically, Kikyou. It didn't matter if she didn't know when it had started, she just knew that he would continue to follow her like this, never coming forward to speak to her unless she did something.

She _wanted _to speak to him. Kagome wanted to talk civilly to him, even if she was Kikyou. She wanted to know all about him, especially about his life in this time. But it seemed the man she loved was as unwilling to talk to Kikyou as he had been to her when she had first known him.

_I can never see if I can do something to save Kikyou if I can't talk to him…_she thought. She had decided when she first became Kikyou that unless she tried to save her, she would die the same death Kikyou had. Kagome decided to see if she could possibly save the deceased miko, and give her the life she deserved back.

Of course, she wasn't so sure what to do about Inuyasha, after all. He _belonged _fifty years later, but what if he insisted on staying with Kikyou if she ever found a way back?

Sighing, Kagome decided to save those thoughts for later, when she had more answers. For now, her job was to watch, and observe, not to go jumping in and messing up time at the moment.

As she was thinking, a familiar youki floated into her senses once more. He was following her again, as if he couldn't let her out of his sight. This annoyed her to no end. He was _stalking _Kikyou. Something that he only did to…well, _her. _Kagome knew that he had loved Kikyou before, but the way he was going about it, she seemed like…an obsession.

She sat down on the soft grass, overlooking the village, before turning to the tree the youki was coming from. "Inuyasha?" she called, making sure he heard her. "You're there, aren't you? Won't you come out?"

Slowly, almost reluctantly, Kagome heard the leaves rustle, and saw a silver and red figure's head emerge from it—_Inuyasha. _His face was set in slight annoyance, because she had found him. At first it looked like he might refuse, but then, the hanyou jumped down next to her, sitting doggy-style on his haunches with a sour look on his face.

Though Kagome couldn't help the small, amused smile on her face, she made sure it was gone when she looked back at him. "It is the first time I've been this close when talking to you." Remarked Kagome, sounding more like Kikyou than ever.

Inuyasha grunted, the sour look fading, only to be replaced with an unsure look…as if he didn't know what to say. "So what of it?" he gave a small, half-hearted annoyed growl.

There was a small pause as Kagome pondered his behavior. He wasn't happy at her calling him over, that was painfully obvious, but there was a sense of uncertainty in his eyes…Almost a fearful, calculating look, as if he was afraid of what he would find when he finally came to the conclusion…

"I heard you saved Kaede." Kagome told hi, getting straight to the point she had wanted to ask him since the day before. Perhaps he would provide an explanation to his peculiar behavior.

Of course, no such thing awaited her. Inuyasha turned sharply away, his nose stuck proudly in the air as he grunted, "Keh. That thing?"

A defeated sigh escaped Kikyou's lips; so there was no explanation. But what was she expecting? Inuyasha was always one to do what he wanted of his own accord, without giving a reason unless he had to.

Nevertheless, thanks were in order. She bowed her head slightly, as was customary, and told him, "You have my thanks as well." Kaede had already told her that she had already told him thanks.

"Sure doesn't seem like it." the hanyou muttered, never looking back at her, the calculating look still in his eyes.

Kagome sighed once more, and they both turned back to look at the village, both not speaking as a breeze whispered through the trees, fluttering the grass and playing with their hair. Looking down, Kagome thought over what was to come next.

She knew she had to say _something_. Since she had shared a soul with Kikyou, her soul, like now, would sometimes give her a feeling that more had happened. Sometimes, she would even feel what her soul remembered, an image, a concept, words that had been spoken. And when she would say them, it seemed that her lips moved of their own accord, speaking the words Kikyou had said fifty years ago.

And like always, Kikyou had something to ask him…but Kagome also wanted to know it as well.

Looking back at the hanyou across from her, Kikyou's eyes calm, she asked, "Inuyasha? How do you see me? Do you see a human?"

Inuyasha looked back at her, with a half-puzzled, half-expecting look on his face. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

Looking back down at the clustered huts of the village that was now her home, Kagome remembered several things that had happened to her since she had come here…Tsubaki telling her that she was hardly human…that she had to give up human desires…the village girls calling her inhuman…her own doubts about what she—Kikyou had to do, killing youkai every day…and Inuyasha himself, telling her how she reeked in the blood of youkai…

"I cannot show weakness to anyone, I cannot falter." Kagome told him…not just talking about Kikyou's problems questioning her humanity. "The youkai would take advantage of that." She stated simply, speaking what Kikyou had said, yet thinking of her own doubts about who she was in her mind.

Glancing at Inuyasha, she saw that he was looking back at her, with the oddest look in his lovely amber eyes…pity? "Human…Kikyou…yet I am not allowed to be who—what I am." Kagome silently cursed herself for her slip of the tongue. _Baka! You know Kikyou definitely wouldn't say that!_

Looking back at an even more confused Inuyasha, Kagome finished, "You and I are similar, Inuyasha, you being hanyou." Looking down, she added, "And I couldn't kill you if I tried."

As if he heard enough, Inuyasha stood up suddenly, annoyance plain as day on his face. "Hmph. What, you're just here to gripe? That's not like you, Kikyou." He turned around sharply and began walking, giving Kagome a view of his back-length silver hair, before he stopped as if he had forgotten something, and glanced back.

An ironic smile crept on to Kagome's face. _Not like her at all…_ "No…I suppose…it's not." Kagome said in a small voice, before her face fell, the amusement fading as sadness came back into her face. _I'm not at all like Kikyou…I am Kagome…_

Inuyasha watched her, his head tilted to the side like a puppy trying to figure something else. Kagome stared back as she stood up, grabbing her arrows, and looked him directly in his piercing amber eyes. Why was he looking at her like that? He couldn't possibly _know_, he didn't even know who she was!

But it was obvious that he knew something wasn't completely right. _I can't mess up next time! _Kagome yelled at herself. _I have to play Kikyou perfectly, no matter what. _But how was she to reassure him she _was _Kikyou and put his mind at ease? "Inuyasha?"

"Hmm?" he asked, his eyes widening slightly in surprise. "What is it?"

Kagome said nothing. Her just blurting out to him that she was Kikyou sounded ridiculous, if not more suspicious. But how was she to patch it up? Sighing, knowing this was a battle she could not win, she turned away, replying simply, "No, its nothing."

_I guess I'll go back to the village now. _thought Kagome. _I can at least play Kikyou without messing up there…it was nice talking to him, at least…_

Suddenly, Inuyasha's voice broke through her thoughts and suddenly, impulsively yelled, "Kikyou! How about you come here tomorrow?"

Kagome stopped her walking towards the village and paused, looking back slowly, a surprised look on her face. _Did he just…ask me to come back? Does that mean he _wants _my company?_

Turning sharply away, not able to look her in the eye, Inuyasha told her softly, "I've got something to give you…"

_He's embarrassed…_she realized, a very Kagome-like smile coming on her face as she said with amusement, "Something you want to give me?" _I didn't know he could be so…sweet…However, I can't let him do this _all _by himself… _"Too easy. I've got something I want to give you too."

The idea of what to give him made her smile wider. _Oh, yes, what a present…_she nearly laughed out loud, wondering why she hadn't thought of the idea before.

Eagerly, but with good humor, Inuyasha joked, "The Shikon no Tama?"

Kagome's eyes narrowed, also in on the joke as if he was serious, "Of course that's not what I mean."

Still smirking, with mock anger, the hanyou she loved turned away, his hands on his hips, "Hmph. It's worth the thought."

As Kagome giggled slightly in a very un-Kikyou-like manner, she smiled and told him, "I'll see you tomorrow Inuyasha. I'll come here at the same time." She turned back to continue her trek towards the village, to ready her _present_ for him.

Of course, she heard his voice calling after her, seeming almost surprised himself at his words, "And I'll be waiting!"

As Kagome's heart skipped a beat, her glee was forced down a second later, as she reminded herself, grim-faced. _You are Kagome. Not Kikyou. He only thinks you are Kikyou._

_You can't forget that…_

A/N: I did tweak the dialogue from the original here, but because I just could not see Kagome speaking like that at all.

But I try to keep it as cannon as possibly without making Kagome sound completely wack.

I loved writing this! It's one of my favorite scenes from the episode!


	9. A Hanyou's Gift

A/N: So…I guess it's still all about the Kikyou/Inuyasha/Kagome angsting. Let's just say its yet ANOTHER situation where Kagome has to choose to save Kikyou, and Naraku is messing with her head, trying to get her to choose the wrong one.

Now, I KNOW which one she's going to choose, but I still bet you anything that Kikyou's gonna die soon. I mean, we're down to about 40 chapters left. She's gotta die sometime, so we can get all the angsting over with, so then Inu can finally choose Kagome without any regrets…

I mean, I like Kikyou, but I just KNOW that Takahashi-sama's gonna kill her off in some tragic way in the end. I think that much is just about painfully obvious.

**Chapter 9: A Hanyou's Gift**

Later that night, Kagome kneeled in front of the table in her and Kaede's hut, her hands set in a position of prayer. Before her were many beads, beads that she knew quite well. _It's a good thing that old Kaede taught me this a while ago…_

_I can't believe that I'd find Inuyasha's kotodama rosary here! _she thought with a slight glee. While searching around their hut, she found the beads tucked away, not strung together. Ever since then, she had gotten the idea to perhaps enchant them, and give them to Inuyasha.

It wasn't like she was afraid of him trying to kill her, it was perhaps that she missed the connection she had to him through the rosary. She also knew it would be a solution if they had any fights.

_Besides, if I do get sent back, he needs to have a rosary, doesn't he?_ she nearly smiled at the thought, but had to get back to her concentration.

But Kagome couldn't deny that it felt a little wrong doing this. After all, as Kikyou, she barely knew Inuyasha, was it really right to put the rosary on him? Kagome knew Kikyou had never done this sort of thing, having trusted him.

_But maybe I don't want to do what Kikyou wants anymore. _she thought grimly, lowering her concentration to think. _After all, what Kikyou wanted got her killed, and I don't want to die her death, I want to save her, and then go back…_

She added in an afterthought, _If I can…_

Thinking about going back made her think about other things as well. What would Inuyasha as she knew him say if he found out about this little adventure? Well, after he called her stupid, reckless, and someone with a death wish, he would probably do what he did whenever Kikyou was brought up; look away.

_He would, wouldn't he? Inuyasha doesn't like talking about Kikyou when I'm around, if all. If I told him that I knew everything that he and Kikyou went through, he'd probably never look me in the eye again…_

While she was thinking about this, forgetting about the rosary she was supposed to be enchanting, tiny feet were heard coming closer to her. Kikyou's eyes opened and looked over to see Kaede getting closer, looking curiously at the beads in her sister's hands.

"Is that a kotodama rosary?" the girl asked interestedly. "Onee-sama, is that for Inuyasha?"

_How would Kikyou explain this…_ Kagome looked back at the bead in her hand for inspiration. "Yes. It is a necessary evil in order to prevent a sneak attack he's likely planning." _Kikyou wouldn't completely trust him yet…_

While Kagome held the black bead between her fingers, she voiced her thoughts out loud. "Now, what will the subjugation command be?" At that, she couldn't help but give a small giggle, remembering how Inuyasha would slam to the ground whenever he made her mad. _Of course, would 'Sit' be too obvious?_

_Maybe I should use something not as harsh…_chuckling to herself, she mused, _'Beloved' perhaps?_

But thinking of that word brought up a memory of what seemed eons ago…The miko Tsubaki, her eyes flashing red, telling her that she must give up on love.

Forgetting Kaede was there, Kagome spoke to herself softly, "Tsubaki placed a strange curse on me…" Almost joking with the idea, knowing now that there was no way she was dying when she knew about Naraku, Kagome brushed it off, "I 'walk the path of carnage', and I'm supposed to be afraid of an untimely death?"

"Onee-sama…" Kaede whispered, Kagome having nearly forgotten she was there.

Looking back at the black bead in her fingers, Kagome held a small smile on her face as she whispered, "Sit…"

* * *

The next day, true to her word, Kagome met Inuyasha in the same place they had been the day before. When she arrived in the early afternoon, he was already there, holding an anxious look on his face; he had been waiting for her.

"Inuyasha." she greeted him as he stood up from where he had been sitting on the ground.

"Kikyou." he replied, as they walked closer, facing each other, both looking a bit nervous in being in each other's presence, Inuyasha bit more than her.

_He looks…unsure about something. _Kagome noticed. _Like he's not quite sure if he wants to do something._

After what seemed like a long silence, Kagome decided to break the ice, "You said you wanted to give something to me." she told him plainly.

Inuyasha gave a small grunt and looked away, a bit insecure. "You're right." Still looking away, he reached inside his haori, and pulled out something in his clawed hand. He looked back at her, opening his palm, revealing what seemed to be a small shell.

Kagome stared. _A shell? _"This is…?" she asked, not quite understanding.

"I've been carrying it, but I've got no use for it. You take it." he told her, his amber eyes beckoning her to have it, yet still looking a bit undecided.

Obliging, Kagome slowly reached for it, and placed it in her own palm, seeing that it was in fact two shells tied together to open. Curious, she opened it, finding a red balm inside of it. _I see…its lip rouge…why would he have it?_

Inuyasha answered her silent question. "The things my mother left were just that and this fire rat cloak."

"Your human mother…" Kagome murmured, forgetting that as of yet, Kikyou didn't know that his mother was human.

The hanyou raised his eyebrows, not expecting her to know that. "Yes, my mother _was _human."

Feeling an embarrassed blush come on her, Kagome silently cursed at herself. _Baka! Just because he's here is no reason to forget who you are! _"I guessed." She replied, making a quick recovery.

He shrugged it off as Kagome decided to speak once more and avoid forgetting her disguise once more. "You're giving me this precious thing?" she asked, looking back down at the lip rouge in her palm.

Almost embarrassed, Inuyasha turned away. "I don't mind. The fire rat cloak is useful enough for me."

_I never knew it belonged to his mother, though…_she thought coming closer. _There's still so many things I don't know about him…_ And suddenly, Kagome felt regret coming on. _That was his mother's, and I hit it was so many arrows in the beginning…_

Kagome slowly reached out and touched his haori, recalling the feel of it like she remembered, all those times when he had held her close…all those times when he had leant it to her to protect her…

Inuyasha glanced at her, slightly surprised. "Forgive me, Inuyasha." Kikyou's voice came from her as she would have done in her former life. "Without knowing that, I've pierced it through so many times…"

A small smile sprouted on his face as he told her, "Don't worry about that!" After a pause, he added, "So, what was the thing you brought for me?"

Letting go of his cloak, Kagome reached in her sleeve where she had the kotodama rosary. But the minute she touched it, a new thought came over her. _He won't hurt me…he thinks I'm Kikyou…and if I'm Kikyou…_

_Then there's no reason to protect myself if I don't plan on staying…_

She looked back up at him with an apologetic smile. "Forgive me. I've forgotten it."

Kagome took her hand out of her sleeve and looked back at his gift as Inuyasha muttered, "What's with that? And I was all worked up about it, too."

Glancing back up at him, unable to keep herself from smiling, she asked, "Is it really okay for me to keep this?"

There was a half-smile on the hanyou's face as he replied, "Sure."

"Then…thank you, Inuyasha." Kagome told him, unable to tear away from the shell of makeup. _He's so…sweet. I don't know if he was ever this sweet with me. _

He was embarrassed as he turned away once more, muttering, "It…it was nothing."

Kagome knew she wasn't acting like Kikyou, but at the moment she didn't care. Not when her heart felt like it could soar. "Not to me."

The hanyou glanced back at her, amber eyes wide in surprise, while she smiled warmly back at him. Saying nothing, she turned back to leave him, walking back to the village, staring at the shell, smiling softly.

From behind her, she heard the distinguishable sound of a puzzled Inuyasha, "Keh."

* * *

Late that night, after Kaede had gone to bed and she had taken her hair out of the trademark ponytail, Kagome looked back at the shell that she had put causally on the table. Inuyasha's gift was something so small, yet even though it was not given to her, it meant the world to her.

It was nice, getting presents from him like this. Not that she expected it much, but it showed her that he cared…it was something sweet that he rarely did, and she wanted to enjoy it.

As she glanced upon it, an idea struck her. At first it seemed stupid, but since Kaede was already asleep, she guessed that it didn't matter.

Kagome reached for the mirror that she had found a while back in the hut, pulling off the cloth that covered it; Kikyou's face being revealed in the mirror. Not that it bothered Kagome much; she had seen that face on herself so many times, that it almost seemed like she had always been in that form.

She opened the shell, and dipped a finger into the red paste. Glancing at Kikyou in the mirror, Kagome watched as she spread the rouge across her lips, pulling away once it was done.

Staring at herself in the mirror, she thought, _I—Kikyou looks beautiful , I never expected to see Kikyou look like this…_

As Kagome stared at the beautiful woman looking back at her from the glass, a thought came upon her. _No wonder Inuyasha fell in love with her…she looks so beautiful like this…not like me…_

Her hands trembled holding the mirror, and she let out a small gasp…seeing tears beginning to form on the edges of Kikyou's eyes. No, that wasn't right, Kikyou _never _cried!

Kagome slammed the mirror back down on the table, facedown. With one hand, she wiped off the rouge, closing the shell and putting it away rather violently. As she blew out the lamp, a single tear fell on to the wick, making a sizzling sound accompanied with a small puff of smoke.

_It's Kikyou Inuyasha's falling in love with, not me. And no matter how much I forget myself, I can never forget that…

* * *

_

A/N: I know, angst once more. But what's a good story without angst, eh?


	10. Complications

A/N: So, here we are half-way through the story. I hope you enjoy it as it gets better. I personally think the second half is much more interesting than the first half anyway.

Those who remarked on the angsting, don't worry, it gets better. Loads better. There's fluff, and some more angst, but it starts getting really fluffy soon.

Apparently, the first half of the episode airs on the 24th, 12:30 AM, on Adult Swim. You might want to double check the website just to be sure, since they are known to make last minute changes.

**Chapter 10: Complications**

Summer gave way to fall soon after their gift-exchange. The leaves from the trees turned golden and fell to the ground, fluttering in the wind. Time passed like an endless dream for Kagome, beginning to feel more like she belonged here than an outsider sent back through an accident.

They had barely spoken since he had given her his gift. Kagome was trying to avoid yet another tear being shed by speaking to him, knowing that the one he was falling in love with was Kikyou, not her. It wasn't like he could help it, after all, it _was _how it had happened fifty years go.

She wanted to avoid feeling heartbreak once more. Now, more than ever, being in Kikyou's form was a curse, forced to watch as Inuyasha fell in love with Kikyou all over again.

_I don't want to watch this anymore…I just want to go home…_she thought. If she was home, then she could forget all this happened, and never speak of it again, but she still didn't quite know how to go back herself.

_I came here through a time tree…should I try it?_

But her attempts at throwing herself at Goshinboku a couple of times amounted to nothing, and she supposed that it would seem odd if anyone saw Kikyou willingly throwing herself into a tree.

The well wouldn't work, Kagome knew well enough. Even if she could get through, she would still be in Kikyou's semblance.

_So, how am I supposed to get home?_

But as always, she had to stop her worrying about how to get home and focus on acting as Kikyou. The villagers still required a miko, and until Kagome knew how to get Kikyou's soul in her form and hers back to her time, she had to continue with her façade.

Kagome did see Inuyasha on occasion hanging around near the village, but never going into it. If they did talk, it was short and nothing of importance. However, Kagome was able to discern from the look in his amber eyes that something was bothering him too.

It had to be related to him falling in love with Kikyou, she knew that much. Especially since he had developed the habit of turning away sometimes when she was trying to speak with him, something he used to do when she would speak to him after he saw Kikyou.

_So, its bothering him too, but I doubt that he's having the same trouble I'm having. _

She knew that the day, in the middle of fall with yellow leaves blowing around, she spoke with him once more. The children of the village had gone to play with her in the fields, like they sometimes did, and, like always, Inuyasha was nearby watching over her.

Unable to keep herself from smiling at all the little faces, she asked them as tiny hands grabbed on to her red hakama, "So, children, what do you want to play now?"

They all thought about it for a moment, "Hmm…let's see…"

Laughing softly, she felt amber eyes watching her, the intensity of Inuyasha's gaze making the hairs on the back of her neck stand straight up. Turning, she saw him standing in a tree, his gaze never wavering.

Though Kagome felt alarmed that he was near once more and that he was watching her, Kikyou wouldn't have felt threatened, and perhaps would have invited him down. "Inuyasha! Don't just stand over there! Why don't you come down and play with us as well?"

There was a pause, while his eyes scanned her, as if trying to decide something, before turning away, sitting in the tree. "Keh. Don't be ridiculous." He didn't sound angry or annoyed, just as if he was stating the facts.

This behavior didn't surprise Kagome in the least; Inuyasha had never been what one could call a social person, especially around children. There was no point in arguing with him now.

However, the children were impatient, and didn't want to wait and see if Kikyou would call the hanyou back. They almost pushed her away, crying out different games such as "Let's join hands!" "Let's pick flowers!"

Though it didn't feel right to leave Inuyasha behind like that, Kagome couldn't help but laugh once more at the children, turning away from the stubborn hanyou behind her.

Though he had basically told her he didn't care, she felt his gaze upon her the entire time, and when she looked back, his eyes told her that he was trying to decide something. The look in his eyes was much like the look she knew in them sometimes when he looked at her, as Kagome.

_Maybe my Inuyasha and the Inuyasha of fifty years ago aren't so different after all…_Kagome mused, turning away once and for all as the children led her back to the village.

* * *

"Onee-sama, is Inuyasha going to stay in this village?" Kaede asked the next day when they were alone in their hut, surprising Kagome, who was deep in thought.

Kagome knew that Kikyou's eyes must appear very surprised. "What do you mean, Kaede?"

Shrugging, the little girl asked, "He's always hanging around here, onee-sama. I was wondering if he decided to stay here or not, since before he said he didn't want to."

Kagome sighed, "I don't know, Kaede. Inuyasha has never discussed this with me."

Of course, thinking about that brought a new train of thought. _I had decided to try to save Kikyou from what happened to Naraku…but if Kikyou's saved, does that mean Inuyasha will stay with her?_

Her face must have held a look of horror because Kaede asked, "Onee-sama? Onee-sama, what's wrong?"

Shaking her head, she replied, "Nothing, Kaede." _I can't worry about that now with everything else, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it…_

But one thought in her head couldn't be stopped, _Why did I have to come here and make a mess of things in the first place?_

_

* * *

_

Kagome had gone herb picking once more near the forest, when she felt a familiar youki once more. Looking up, she glanced red and silver flashing into the woods, trying not to be caught.

_Inuyasha again…why does he keep following me? Will he ever stop? This is getting creepy!_

Sitting down in the grass, Kagome decided to take a moment and think upon the situation once more. _So, I'm here, fifty years ago, in Kikyou's body, no one else knowing this, and I've met Inuyasha, who's falling in love with Kikyou._

_I can't go back yet, and if I can go back, will something happen to Kikyou, since I am her soul? _

_If I can save Kikyou, I will, but will Inuyasha decide to stay with her?_

_And what will I do once I meet Onigumo? Will I have to kill him or something? Because if I do that, I could change history and make no Naraku!_

Though, she did have to slow her thoughts after that one. _Kagome, what have you learned from time travel? You can't change history too much._

Sighing, Kagome thought, _Okay, I can't kill Onigumo, but is there some way I can keep him from turning Inuyasha and Kikyou against each other? Maybe I could stop that, at least. _

_But the question is, how?_

"Kikyou onee-sama!" came the cry of Kaede. Kagome turned to see the young girl running towards her, a frightened look on her face.

Standing up and taking the herb basket with her, Kagome asked, "What's the matter Kaede?"

"Onee-sama! I just found someone! He looks badly wounded, onee-sama!" she begged. "We need to save him!"

_Once again, my miko duties drag me away. _Kagome mused, before following the girl as she led her back in the direction of the village. "Where is he, Kaede?"

Her sister answered her at once as she pointed towards the other end of the small village. "He's by the cliff, onee-sama. I found him while playing in the river."

They were both heading towards the cliff, when Kagome asked, "How badly wounded is he, Kaede?"

"Pretty bad, onee-sama." she replied, "I think his legs are broken, and he seemed burned."

_A man found at the base of a cliff…legs broken…burned…_Kikyou's eyes went wide as the came up on the figure near the edge of a cliff, hard to tell that it was human. _No…not yet, it can't be yet…_

Kaede walked up to the figure. "It's all right, onee-sama. He's unconscious."

Slowly, Kagome came closer, kneeling down to the man. It was true, his skin was nearly burned off in some areas, but his face was visible. Though Kagome had never seen that _particular _face before, she could tell all the same.

_Naraku…_ "Onigumo…" she whispered, feeling herself begin to tremble in fright.

* * *

A/N: Mua ha ha ha ha! Now we meet Onigumo! I told you this would be interesting! 


	11. The Spider Ogre

A/N: So, now that we're halfway through, I'd like to say that this story's gotten a lot more feedback that I thought it would. After all, I _was _a risky move to do this, with so many Kikyou-haters out there. But hey, I think it's interesting all the same.

So, any theories as to how Kagome's going to get home? Or my OMG! Moment which I know you all are waiting for? I love hearing them, you know!

**Chapter 11: The Spider Ogre**

All Kagome's melancholy thoughts about the situation between her and Inuyasha evaporated when she first saw the burned and broken Onigumo lying at the bottom of that cliff.

Onigumo…the paralyzed bandit that had lusted after Kikyou, was devoured by youkai, and transformed into Naraku, their worst enemy.

How could she think such selfish thoughts with him around?

But what was she to do? It wasn't like Kagome could just kill him right there and be the end of that. It would save a lot of people, yes, but it would alter time like never before. And that, especially if she wanted to go home, was something she could not do.

What then? Leave him at the base of the cliff? Let fate decide what was to happen to him?

No, that wouldn't do either. Kikyou had compassion. And so did Kagome, despite who it was now to take pity on. She would have to do as Kikyou did, harbor him in safety.

Not, that she would just feed him and leave him alone to his own devices. She would have to keep a close eye on him, to make sure that there were no Naraku like tendencies as of yet. Then, if she did begin to notice any peculiar changes in the bandit, she could deal with them then, and act like she had just learned of it.

After all, she couldn't just leave him to do what he did before. Kagome wanted to try to save Kikyou; she didn't deserve the early death she got. Besides, she wanted to go home, and didn't think it would be possible if she ended up killed by Naraku…

So, after a hurried cover-up of how she knew Onigumo's name before she met him to Kaede, they both dragged him to a cave, hidden by long, tall grass. There they would leave him, visiting him only to feed and check up on him. There was no danger in him now, he couldn't move at all.

Of course, Kagome wanted to speak of this to Inuyasha, but she didn't dare. For one thing, he didn't know originally. For another, he'd get angry at her, even if he didn't know what Onigumo would turn into.

_He'd probably be terribly jealous as well…_she mused, giggling slightly as an image of Inuyasha and Kouga having another one of their jealousy-driven bouts on her account appeared in her mind.

Today was like any other day after they had found Onigumo; she would have to venture to that small cave and give him some food to live on, at least. On times like these, she wouldn't say anything to Inuyasha about going somewhere outside the village.

The less he knew, the better.

Though, as she ventured through the forest, Kagome couldn't help but get the creepy feeling that he knew what she was up to…somewhat. She saw him reclining in a tree as she walked past, arms full of herbs she was going to take to the cave.

Inuyasha's amber eyes followed her, almost inconspicuously, like he didn't want her to know he was watching her. Kagome didn't look back at him as she walked on, figuring that would be the best thing for now.

As she passed him, knowing his eyes were following her, she saw Kaede trying to shoot an arrow at a tree. Of course, her arrow didn't exactly hit, falling short about a foot. Where it landed, several others accompanied it; she seemed to have been practicing for a while.

After seeing where her most recent arrow landed, the girl sighed. "It's no use. I'll never be as good as onee-sama."

Walking closer to her, Kagome couldn't help but have a small grin of remembrance on her face. _Of course, I was probably worst when I first started out…_she clearly remembered Inuyasha pulling her on to his back, ordering her to shoot the crow youkai that had stolen the Shikon no Tama down. Of course, the only time she hit it was when she attached a piece of the youkai to it, drawing the arrow to the bird.

Kagome was lost in her memories until she saw Kaede draw another arrow, her face still forlorn as if she wasn't expecting to hit. Once again, her sisterly feelings stepped in. "Well done, Kaede." She told her, coming closer out of the forest.

The girl gave a small gasp, as if she hadn't expected to hear that come from her. Giving a small gasp, she turned, to see Kikyou come closer to her sister, a smile on her face. "Kikyou onee-sama!"

The girl's eyes suddenly became larger when looking at her, as if thinking of something important. She then asked almost reluctantly, "Um…onee-sama…"

Bending down to her eye level, Kagome asked, "What is it?"

But by the time that was out, Kaede had already changed her mind. She shook her head, telling her, "It's nothing."

Kagome stared at her for a little longer than necessary, wondering why Kaede would have suddenly changed her mind. But, it wasn't right to pry into it, even if Kaede was _technically_ her sister. "I see." said Kagome, as she stood back up and walked away.

But as she was walking, she once again felt that youki that she had come to know so well by now. Inuyasha was watching her again, safely from up in a tree. Kagome wanted to turn and ask why he was following her, yet knowing him, he wouldn't give an answer anyway. So she had to content herself with wondering.

_Why does he have to keep watching me like this?

* * *

_

As she approached the cave, Kagome felt the youki that had been following her leave her as soon as the cover of the forest canopy ended. He had followed her all the way out here, until he suddenly fled, as if afraid she would sense him, if she hadn't already.

_I just don't understand him. Sometimes, it feels like I know everything about him, and then later…he continues to surprise me._

A minute later, she added, _However, he is different from the Inuyasha I know, but I still think that this should at least have _some _explanation._

The cave she approached through the tall grass was nearly hidden inside it, a giant rock opening in a fissure, descending into the cave floor. Inside the dark cave lay a heavily bandaged man that slightly resembled a mummy on the ground, covered by an open yukata in place of a blanket.

He saw her coming. "Ki…Kikyou, huh?" When they had moved him to his current hideout, he had woken up. At that time, he learned her name and she had "learned" his.

"That's right, I brought you some food." Kagome replied in Kikyou's civil, yet alert tone. Just because she was harboring him meant she had no reason to trust him, and Kagome had a feeling that Kikyou heartily agreed as well.

As Kagome kneeled next to him, she lit the lamp while Onigumo muttered in a low voice, "I've already…" but after she pulled out the herbs, he sighed, "I don't care."

She mixed them up in a small bowl, making a type of soup, putting in an herb that was supposed to lessen the pain in burns. Kikyou would have put in many more of those herbs, to make sure the poor man wasn't in pain. Kagome, however, could only bring herself to put in one leaf, lessening it slightly for little more than an hour.

"Let's get on with it." The paralyzed bandit muttered as she lifted up the completed mixture. She had to feed him in order to make sure he wouldn't die of starvation, but that didn't mean she had to feel complete sympathy for him. With every bite, Onigumo lived a bit longer, thus making the possibility of Naraku being born greater.

Onigumo, for his part, looked as if he didn't exactly enjoy the feeding either, only going along with it because he needed to be fed in order to survive. However, Kagome knew enough from what Naraku had said that Onigumo didn't like being at the mercy of a woman, despite the woman even being Kikyou.

But Kagome would become very cautious whenever Onigumo looked at her, even if it was just a glance. He had fallen in love with Kikyou, or at least lusted after her. The thought nearly sickened Kagome, knowing now that she was in Kikyou's body, she was vulnerable.

How did Kikyou originally stand it? Onigumo, an evil, paralyzed bandit had wanted _her! _It was just disgusting to think about. How did Kikyou even look Naraku in the eye, knowing that fifty years ago, and still to the day, loved her?

_Then again, _Kagome reflected, _Kikyou not knowing about it at first probably helped a bit._

Once she had finished feeding Onigumo and began picking up the things she would take back, the bandit asked, "You are coming again tomorrow?"

Glancing back at him, trying desperately to keep Kikyou's face looking sympathetic, she told him, "Of course, I have to come back. You need caring after."

There was an uncomfortable silence. "Just wondering." The bandit replied before turning away to look at the opposite wall of the cave.

She stood up, saying in Kikyou-like monotone, "Well then, I shall come tomorrow." And with that, left the cave, hoping her exit didn't look like she had bolted out of there, though, she suspected it had.

It was too uncomfortable to do this. To just harbor Onigumo for him to turn into Naraku. But, she couldn't worry about that now. From what she knew, she still had a month or two until that happened. She could think about a solution then.

Kaede had come to see her back to the village as she got out of there and walked through the tall grass, the sun setting into an orange sky above them. They walked in silence for a few minutes, until the girl spoke up curiously, "Why aren't you going to see Inuyasha?"

_Because I don't want him knowing that I'm currently taking care of the one that killed the woman who's form I'm in now. _"It's because of him. He'll get jealous." explained Kagome simply, surprised at how far she had come at fibbing in an instant.

Kaede raised her eyebrows. "Jealous?"

Remembering the scene she had recalled earlier, Kagome couldn't help but smile. "Yes, he get's very jealous…"

_Though, the jealousy this time is over Kikyou, not me._

A/N: I wish I could have taped the episode today, but unfortunately, my remote decided to disappear. And the only function that I use on the stupid VCR that needs a remote is recording…

Oh well. I wasn't too excited about seeing it in English anyway. I hope everyone else enjoys it.


	12. Parallel Memories

A/N: So I FINALLY updated my website with a little story about my recent Titanic addiction…If this keeps up, Inuyasha'll scream "I'M KING OF THE WORLD!" sometime in the next fic for no good reason.

I'll agree with you all that Onigumo is gross. Also, he sounds like he's **40** in the Japanese dub, which makes it all the creepier…Now's he's a disgusting pedophile!

**Chapter 12: Parallel Memories**

As quickly as fall came, soon winter was upon them. Of course, it didn't snow in the village unless it was little flurries, and it was relatively warmer then usual winters. Considering that Kagome didn't really have any warm clothes, she was happy that the weather stayed warm enough so she wouldn't freeze.Like she had expected, since he was a hanyou, Inuyasha wasn't affected at all by the cold, or at least, if he was, he didn't show it.

He seemed to be more inclined to follow her around these days, like a watch dog guarding its owner. Inuyasha was determined to always meet with her and talk with her, while Kagome wanted to avoid him for a little bit longer. Seeing Inuyasha brought up the painful reminder that he was falling in love with Kikyou, not her. Avoiding him was easier—she didn't have to think about it and would ponder how to get back.

Although, when she spoke to him, she would often forget, even when he said Kikyou's name. Her heart would race whenever he said something particularly sweet. And she would feel herself begin to blush, despite the fact that she knew Kikyou _never _blushed. But when he left, she feel deeper into despair, having the slight hope of not knowing who she was for a few seconds do be dashed with cruel reality.

However, as the months seemed to fly by, going home was a bigger problem. Kagome tried purifying herself, since that seemed to have worked before, but since she was a pure, human miko, nothing happened besides fill the room with a pink light.

She even (though she knew it seemed quite insane) purified herself while running into Goshinboku. Several times. Nothing happened and the noise of herself exclaiming in pain after hitting her head on the ancient wood called the attention of villagers nearby, who were worried if she had run into another youkai again.

Youkai didn't seem to be the problem much anymore. With Inuyasha following her around, staying in the forest just outside the village, he would usually help her with any youkai that showed up. And now that word was out that the miko that guarded the Shikon no Tama was a powerful miko, not as many youkai came calling as before.

Still, every so often, there would be that rogue youkai wandering around who decided to challenge her. They were usually disposed of fairly quickly once both Inuyasha and Kagome fought it.

Though Inuyasha helped her most of the time, Kagome couldn't very well _ask_ him to assist her. She was Kikyou right now, and Kikyou could take care of herself, she didn't need Inuyasha's help. But even so, hejoined in the fightanyway, though he never actually promised to protect Kikyou, as he had done to Kagome that time when they were both stuck in his father's grave.

"_Shut up and let me protect you!" _he had yelled. Though he had said it rather gruffly, after insulting her by calling her a 'weak human', that was the first time Kagome had felt her heart race around him like that.

Inuyasha had never said anything like that to Kikyou…he had never promised to protect her like that as far as she knew…the first time was after she had died, and he felt guilty because he failed to protect her…

_Perhaps…I shouldn't be so jealous of Kikyou…_Kagome told herself while she pondered this. _I always thought that they had this beautiful, romantic relationship…but now that I'm discovering it…I guess I should be grateful in what I have…_

And so, since he had never actually promised to protect her, or to help her at all, how was she to do this? Late, the night before, villagers from a village far to the north came to be the powerful miko to slay a youkai who had killed many of them.

When she had asked how powerful, she had become worried. Though she was Kikyou, she didn't want to go off alone like this in case she wasn't enough. Kagome knew the only one she could trust to go with her like this was Inuyasha. But asking him was the hard thing.

How was she to seek him out? She never came to him; he always came to her. Could she just go to him and ask? What would he say? What if he rejected her?

Of course, like always when she thought of these things, she was walking around the forest. And, like always, someone else was watching her. When she heard the leaves rustle to her right, she turned sharply, suddenly feeling Inuyasha's youki, though she couldn't see him at the moment. _I guess I'd better get it over with._

"Inuyasha, can you come down here? I have something to ask you."

There was an annoyed grunt, and then, suddenly, the silver haired hanyou plopped down from the tree, an equally annoyed look on his face. "I'm listening."

Kagome was still worried about how she'd present the idea to him, but she decided to just go for it. _I'll use Kikyou's method. It seemed to work for her. _Taking a deep, nervous breath, Kagome asked, "Inuyasha, will you lend me your power?"

That didn't quite come out how she wanted it to sound, and only ended up confusing the hanyou. He raised a quizzical eyebrow. "So what sort of treachery are you up to this time?"

Sighing, Kagome explained simpler, "I've been asked to slay a youkai in another village, and I'm afraid I alone might not be enough."

After waiting a second for his response, the hanyou muttered, "Keh. You're just one thing or another."

Her eyes suddenly lit up with surprise, causing the hanyou to look fairly surprised t her reaction as well. "So, you'll help me?"

"Whatever." was all the response she got, though it was enough for her.

Without meaning to, a bright, very Kagome-like smile sprouted on her face, causing the hanyou to once more look at her with a look of calculating puzzlement, as if trying to figure something out.

* * *

The left the same day, both agreeing that it wouldn't do to leave a dangerous youkai like that any longer. They only stayed long enough for Kagome to gather her things and instruct Kaede on what she was to do until her sister returned.

The trip north got steadily colder and colder as they traveled. Though winter in the village felt like a slightly cooler fall, it began to feel more like winter as they kept going. Soon, they even saw snow covering the ground, forcing them to tread through it.

For warmth and to keep herself dry, Kagome had to wear a reed hat and a cloak made out of reeds as well, which, for being 500 years prior to her time, kept the snow off mostly. Inuyasha wore nothing to keep himself dry, preferring only what he usually wore, and didn't seem affected at all by it.

As they journeyed in near silence while the wind howled around them, Kagome couldn't take it anymore and decided to strike up some conversation. "Isn't it cold, Inuyasha?"

He was walking next to her, and paused from his thought to look back at her. "Huh?"

"I mean," she rephrased her question, "Do you feel cold at all?"

The hanyou gave a near-stunned blink, as if he had never thought of that before. "Not really." he admitted. "I feel a little bit cold, but mostly, I feel normal. After all, I've got a body built stronger than humans, remember?"

_How could I forget? _Kagome turned away from him, remembering that time after they had defeated Yura of the Hair, how she had learned that he healed quickly by showing her a bare, healed chest.

"_Don't you understand? My body's special!" _Of course, even now, she still blushed at remembering that was the first time she had seen him without a shirt. She had to bandage him every day with his shirt off, but seeing it like that, without all the bandages…well, though Kagome led an _interesting_ life, she wasn't that different from girls in her time.

Glancing out of the corner of her eye at Inuyasha, who now surveyed his surroundings with distaste, she mused, _Yes, his body _is _special…_ feeling a smirk come on her face as well as a blush.

But Inuyasha noticed her looking at him. "Hey! What's with that look?"

Turning away quickly, while mentally chastising herself, she lied, "Nothing…just the cold, Inuyasha."

And so they continued on in silence, Kagome too afraid she'd slip up again. The journey to the village took them a day and a half, stopping once night hit them and continuing the next morning. They finally made it in early afternoon the next day.

The village was deserted because of the youkai, and it was hard to see for Kagome since everything had been turned a white hue because of the snow. The wind blew in her face so hard that she had to squint to see, and the howling of the wind blocked her hearing.

But, of course, not her miko powers. She could sense it before she saw it. She glanced from under the rim of her hat, seeing what appeared to be a grey snow-dog running at her. Its disguise was so good, that she would have thought so, had it not been for the red eyes it possessed.

It lunged for her, and while stepping to the side, she injected her purification powers into her undrawn bow, thrusting it in the way of the youkai and causing it to be pushed back with a howl of pain.

Kagome turned around sharply, seeing the grey blur through the wind and snow come closer to the red blur. "Inuyasha! It's here!" she called, Kikyou's voice slightly concerned.

"Leave it to me!" the hanyou yelled back. Through the wind, Kagome saw his hand near his right side. For a second, she thought he was going to draw the Tessaiga and finish it that way, before she remembered that he didn't have the Tessaiga now. When he raised his claws, she knew what he was going to do. "Sankon Tessou!"

With a flash of golden light, the grey body of the youkai was dissolved, leaving a black shadow like creature behind. Kagome ran up to him, silently cursing at the large red hakama pants that flapped in the wind and made it hard to run in.

"Kikyou, that's its true body!" Inuyasha told her, his eyes not leaving it.

"Right!" Kagome drew an arrow, aiming for the black figure, hoping that the wind wouldn't draw it away. She filled it with her miko powers and let it fly, watching it be pushed to the side just slightly before it slammed right through the shape, purifying it instantly.

There was a smirk on Inuyasha's face as he admired her handywork. "Ha! We did it!"

_Yes, we did, together. _That thought caused Kagome to remember the first time she and Inuyasha had defeated a youkai together, the crow youkai, when he used Sankon Tessou and she had fired an arrow.

And then there was the time with Yura of the Hair, when she had nearly been killed and he had been wounded several times. Inuyasha had maimed Yura just enough so Kagome was able to destroy Yura's true form—a comb.

_That was also the first time he said my name…_she remembered how he had said simply, almost not even realizing it, _"Let's go, Kagome."_

Her heart began to sink as she realized she really missed him saying her name. Inuyasha thought she was Kikyou, and him calling her 'Kikyou' all the time did get depressing.

But, even though she was Kikyou, she missed fighting alongside him like this. It was nice to have teamwork with him rather than have to fight youkai all by herself when he wasn't around.

"Inuyasha?" she asked.

"Yeah?" he turned back to her.

A very small, almost unnoticeable, clearly Kikyou smile came upon Kikyou's features. "Do you think we could fight like this all the time? Together?"

A secret smile appeared on his face as well. "Yeah."

* * *

A/N: Can anyone explain to me why the chapters I think are going to be really long end up being really short, and the ones I think are going to be shorter end up being longer than most chapters?

Just something weird I noticed…


	13. Shadow of the Spider

A/N: My computer must not like fanfiction. Because it always decides to do down whenever I'm trying to write it.

Well, we're getting pretty close to the end! If you've seen the episode, then you know how close. It's kinda weird writing it like this though, since it seems so fast. After all, the episode was supposed to take place over an entire year.

Geez…being Kikyou as a year? I'd definitely forget myself…

**Chapter 13: Shadow of the Spider**

"I was on my own since I was five, I suppose." Inuyasha told her, his amber eyes glazed over in memory. "My mother died because she was sick, and the village decided to throw me out."

"Oh…" Kagome replied, looking down. She had heard this story before, of course, but nevertheless, whenever she heard it, she felt a rush of pity for him.

"Don't you dare feel sympathy for me. I don't want it." He ordered, his eyes serious.

Looking back up at him, she shot back, "I know that, Inuyasha." They held each other's gaze for only a moment, Kagome feeling her heart begin to race as she stared into those sparkling amber orbs she loved so much…before they both looked away and continued to walk around the forest outside of the village.

They had gotten back to the village late the night before, and they didn't have much timeto chatalong the road. However, that morning, Inuyasha had come by to talk. It seemed like after their trip, he seemed much more inclined to speak with her, more than he ever had.

And Kagome couldn't help it. Though she had wanted to avoid him to avoid heartbreak, she wanted to speak with him too. She had forgotten through all the time she had been Kikyou how nice it was just chatting with him like this.

Perhaps it wasn't such a bad thing that he thought her Kikyou after all. Kikyou would eventually come to love him anyway, so she wasn't afraid of showing her feelings…to a point, that is.

Kikyou's dark eyes glanced back at him as she asked, "And you never knew your father?"

The hanyou looked back at her, shaking his head slightly. "No. Mother told me he died the night I was born."

Kagome could help but sigh sadly at that. Her own father had died in a car accident four years ago. She knew the pain of having to lose a father like that…But she assumed that never knowing him must have been worse. "I'm sorry."

"I told you not to be sorry." He reminded her gruffly. "Anyway, Mother said that he died saving both of us that night. I guess I should be proud that I'm the son of him, even if I never knew the old man."

"I guess." Kagome noticed that he was holding back on one key figure in that story: Sesshoumaru. Did Inuyasha never tell Kikyou he had an older brother? An older, full youkai, half-brother that wanted to kill him? "I should think your father would be proud of having you for a son as well."

Inuyasha glanced back at her, his eyebrows slightly raised, as if waiting for something. But what? After a second of this uncomfortable scrutiny, he shrugged. "I suppose…So, what about you?"

"What?" she asked, not quite knowing what he meant. They stopped walking for a moment, while he explained.

"Well, we walked for a bit and talked about me, Kikyou. What about you?"

They continued walking at their slow pace. "Oh…" she began, glad that she had acquired the story from bits and pieces of conversationshe and Kaede hadovertime. "My parents both died from a youkai attack on the village…Kaede was so young when it happened, that I bet she doesn't even remember. That was when I decided to be a miko, so that I could be strong enough to fight youkai next time they came near."

Inuyasha glanced at her, with a slightly surprised look in his eyes. "For revenge?"

Kagome fought the urge to have a smirk on her face as she shook hear head. "Of course not. I wanted to help people, Inuyasha. I didn't want anyone else's parents in the village stolen because of some rouge youkai."

Inuyasha grunted, not really knowing what to say. "Noble."

Looking down, Kagome spoke not only of Kikyou as she replied, "Yes, but mikos must close off many of their feelings in order to fight youkai. Sometimes…it feels lonely. Like I am all alone, despite everyone who I protect. I am different from all of them, separated. It is as if I want to reveal that I am not who I appear to be outwardly, but can't..."

Kagome had her eyes back on the village, as a breeze rippled through the forest, the leaves singing in the wind while they both stood in silence, she aware that he was watching her with those golden eyes. "Maybe we're not so different." Inuyasha muttered.

"What?" she turned around sharply, to see Inuyasha like she had never seen him before. His tone was low, full of purpose…and his eyes…was she really seeing what she thought she saw in his eyes?

"We're not so different after all." He repeated, still giving her that horrible, wonderful look. "We both feel lonely…and are separated from the world."

Nodding, she answered, unable to turn away from his spellbinding eyes, "Yes, but it is nice to have someone to be lonely with…"

Another breeze came through the fields, neither of them looking away for a while. However, once Kagome felt a blush blossoming on her face, she had to turn away. Kikyou _never _blushed. When she turned, she saw the sun was already high in the sky, signally late afternoon. "It's that late already?" she gasped, not having realized how much time they had spent walking and talking. Turning back to the hanyou, she said quickly, "I'm sorry, Inuyasha, but I have to go find Kaede now. I have to learn how everything went in our absence."

Nodding, he removed that look in his eyes that made her heart race, and replied, "I understand…I guess I'll see you around then."

"Right." She replied, noting the silence after she spoke. It seemed that neither of them wanted to leave.

Of course, both of them noticed the uncomfortableness of the situation. And finally, Kagome decided to turn away and walk quicker than she usually did back, hoping Inuyasha's hanyou ears didn't pick up hear pounding heart.

Not that this was unusual, oh no, she didn't think a week went by without her heart pounding around him. But as Kikyou however, the rules changed.

Despite however giddy it made her feel towards the end, Kagome was determined to put that conversation behind her. After all, she was supposed to be finding a way back to her own time, not falling in love with him all over again!

_I could keep myself in my disguise _before _he showed up, _Kagome thought grimly. _But add him to the mix and everything changes…_

She found that more and more often, it was easy to forget that she was in the form of the woman she was reincarnated from, instead of the woman herself. Now, more than ever, she was in danger of loosing herself in Kikyou, to eventually forget who 'Kagome' was and end up living in her current body.

After all, was there really a guarantee that she could get back? Would she end up spending the rest of her life as Kikyou?

_And if I did…would it really be so wrong of me to let Inuyasha love me like this?_

Kagome instantly banished the thought. _Of course it would be wrong! It would be leading him on…lying to him. I couldn't do that, even if I was stuck here for life…_

She found Kaede by the river, picking herbs. "Onee-sama!" she called out to her older sister when she spotted her coming down to the bank.

"Kaede." Kagome greeted her, bending down to help gather the herbs. "I never had a moment to ask you before, how did everything go while Inuyasha and I were gone."

"Everything went well, onee-sama." Kaede assured her, a smile on her small face. "One of the villagers sprained their ankle in the fields, but I helped them."

Kagome chuckled, collecting the needed herbs in her arms. "I'm sure you did."

The girl's grin grew wider as she continued, "I made a paste out of that painkilling herb like you showed me, onee-sama, and they said the pain went right away."

Looking back, Kagome smiled at her younger sister. "You did well Kaede. You'll be a great miko someday." _And don't I know it…_she mentally added.

"Not as good as you, onee-sama!" Kaede told her with a smile.

"Perhaps you shall be surprised, Kaede." Kagome added, raising herself to her full height to look back at the village, bundle of herbs in her arms. "So that's it? No other problems?"

Kaede nodded. "None." But suddenly, her eyes went wide in a memory, and her smile lowered. "Except…"

Kagome felt a sense of foreboding. "What is it, Kaede?"

The girl shuffled her feet, looking down at the ground. "That bandit…you told me to feed him, and when I did he…said something."

Kagome couldn't help but show alarm on Kikyou's face. "What did he say, Kaede?" she demanded, as if life depended on it.

And given her current situation, it probably did.

Kaede paused, and then looked back at her sister, slight fear in her eyes. "Onee-sama…he asked me if you carried the Shikon no Tama. I asked him about what he knew about the jewel, and then he said that all sorts of bad men are after it."

Thinking quickly, Kagome processed this information in her mind. So, Onigumo revealed that he was after the Shikon no Tama…the thought that Naraku was spawned from. But had she waited too long and he had turned to Naraku yet? "What else did he say, Kaede?"

The girl continued, "I asked him if he was after it as well, onee-sama. He didn't answer but he…he said that the jewel becomes evil when it absorbs bitter blood…and he _liked _it."

A shiver came down Kagome's spine. Obviously, Onigumo was every bit as creepy that Naraku could be. It was hard to believe that he was human when he obviously had no humanity left in him…probably why it was so easy to turn him into a hanyou.

"I told him that you were purifying it, onee-sama, and that it wouldn't become evil. But then he…He said he wanted to see you looking troubled, onee-sama! He…he really liked that…" The little girl shuddered. "And then I got this feeling, onee-sama…Like there was an evil presence nearby."

Whatever creepy feeling she had before was replaced with a shudder of disgust. It was no wonder Kikyou kept saying that she wanted to be the one to kill Naraku, with him saying things like this. Because Kagome knew if Naraku ever said these things about her (Well, after Inuyasha killed him a few times), she would want to kill him in the most horrific way possible.

Sighing, Kagome bent down once more to gather herbs. Wearing the mask of Kikyou to keep herself from appearing troubled in front of the young girl, she replied, "I see. Onigumo said that sort of thing."

She stood up once more as Kaede revealed to her, "Onee-sama, I hate him."

Kagome wanted to tell her that she hated him too, but it would not do. Kikyou didn't hate anyone. Well, during her life, anyway. Despite whatever Kikyou had said to Kaede in actually, Kagome had to say her few words. "You shouldn't hate, Kaede." She looked back at her. "Hatred makes a pure heart evil, like Onigumo."

Kaede seemed a bit surprised. "Onee-sama, don't you dislike him too?"

Sighing, and looking up at the clouds, she admitted, "I do not trust him, Kaede. And yes, sometimes I do dislike the man's character. But I cannot hate him. My conscience will not allow it."

Deciding to change the subject, she smiled at the girl. "Let's go back to the village Kaede. We shouldn't worry about this now."

And with that, the two sisters walked back to their hut in the village, deciding to forget about him for now. Though Kagome had a vague idea that deciding to forget about Onigumo for the time being was a big mistake…

* * *

A/N: Oh, I always keep you guys on your toes, don't I? Mua ha ha ha ha ha ha! 


	14. Tsubaki Returns

A/N: I thought that a 20 chapter fic would go by fast, but for some reason, this one is just seeming to crawl. I think it has something to do with the fact that it's the end of the year. Time slows to a stop once you get into the final three weeks.

Check that…2 weeks and 3 days! (If it weren't for Memorial Day, I would have died.)

**Chapter 14: Tsubaki Returns**

And so it was spring again. After the long winter, the grass had returned to its former bright green hue and the buds were once again in bloom.

And for Kagome, it meant that she had spent one year as Kikyou.

One year…365 days in another woman's body, pretending to be someone else…Though it seemed like a long time, for Kagome, it had passed fairly quickly. Being Kikyou was not as hard as it initially looked, but it was rather…trying.

She no longer had to remind herself that she was Kikyou, that came naturally. Now, however, she needed to remind herself that she was Kagome, Kikyou's reincarnation, a separate person entirely.

And around Inuyasha more than ever did Kagome need to remind herself of that. She constantly found herself enwrapped by the internal fantasy that she _was _Kikyou…and that Inuyasha had fallen in love with her.

It was quite obvious now more than it had ever been of Inuyasha's true feelings—He seemed a lot happier around her, and even smiled upon rare occasion, and would wait for her in the forests when she left the village, just to talk.

But what baffled Kagome was as she found herself opening up to him as well, he would sometimes give her a funny, scrutinizing look that made her paranoid. Inuyasha couldn't possibly guess the real situation, but it was obvious to her that he suspected something was amiss…The only time Kagome forgot that she was Kikyou was when she was with him, remembering how she used to act before all this business.

He must have observed her in the village when she was fully enwrapped by her Kikyou disguise, and noticed the small changes in her when she was with him. But Kagome had never known that Inuyasha had known Kikyou so well that he was able to predict what she would say.

But then again, they _had _known each other for a year. After all, she knew Inuyasha so well she could predict what he would do at sometimes as well.

However, even when her worries weren't to her portrayal as Kikyou, she had other worries, mostly pertaining to those emotions that Inuyasha brought out within her. There had never been any question in her mind for almost as long as she had known him that she loved him, but pretending to be Kikyou…and to have Inuyasha responding to her feelings of love, only made them more intense. Of course, it was illogical to love a man who thought you were his former love, but her heart could not contain itself.

Seeing him loving her like this made her fight the urge to just jump the hanyou and kiss him senseless sometimes…of course, neither Kikyou nor Kagome was prone to do that, so it would remain a well thought of fantasy in her mind.

But there was a darker side to all her attentions on Inuyasha—she was neglecting things that she knew, in the back of her mind, she should be thinking about. The first of these was Onigumo. Ever since that day Kaede had told her of what Onigumo had said, she had shoved it from her mind, wanting to wait until "later" to deal with it.

"Later" never came.

It wasn't that she was forgetful, but having to think about it would be admitting that unless she did something quickly, she would die Kikyou's death…and history would repeat itself…And the 'how' of stopping him was also in question.

Kagome was determined not to think about it, however, and thus she did not. After all, it was not like he had shown any signs of turning into Naraku soon.

Another thing she had neglected to think about was the matter of Tsubaki and the curse she had placed upon her. It had been about a year since she had seen the dark miko, and received her curse. Of course Kagome had forgotten about it, how could she not? She had hardly thought of it since the day she had received the curse, and with the arrival of Inuyasha, the gaping black hole of her memory swallowed up the knowledge.

But soon, it was to be retrieved once more, and add yet another fear to her fast growing collection…

As Spring carried on, soon the trees outside the village carried the pink sakura blossoms, the petals blowing off and swaying in the wind. Kagome had been venturing along in the forest, with Inuyasha nowhere nearby, thinking upon her current situation once more, when she stood and looked up into the mass of light pink, peacefully lost in her thoughts.

_It's been one year since I became Kikyou…_she remembered. _I thought I would have found a way home by now…_

Kikyou's eyes became tragic as Kagome began to worry. _So, am I to spend my entire life like this? As Kikyou the miko instead of Kagome…who I am?_

_And if I do, then Inuyasha…_

_How could I ever explain this? I couldn't…_

_Then, perhaps…maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing after all to just pretend to be Kikyou for the rest of my life…_

But while she was standing there, contemplating this, she heard someone move from behind her. A calm, yet icy voice asked, "Isn't it wonderful?"

Kagome turned her head slightly, and the empty drop in her heart knew the worst as she saw who it was. _Tsubaki. _The dark miko stood her ground, her long dark hair swaying in the wind, while she held a snake mononoke like a pet while a smirk was on her makeup-laden face. "However, standing amongst Sakura for so long starts giving you strange feelings, it seems."

Kagome wasn't focused on the overconfident miko, she was looking more at the mononoke on the miko's shoulder. Why didn't she know Tsubaki was there? She should have sensed the youkai somewhat…

Tsubaki continued to taunt while Kagome kept her face Kikyou-calm. "Is it the fault of the sakura? You seem a different person than before, Kikyou." The miko's smile grew wider as she continued, "So how weak is your spiritual power now? Go make a barrier against the mononoke and the youkai and the like."

Getting a very bad feeling, but knowing not to let it show on her face, Kagome glanced down, and near her ankles floated two similar snake mononke. A shiver ran up her spine…she couldn't sense them as well as she should. Compared to how powerful her youkai sensing powers were before, she was very weak, only able to barley make out their youki if she really concentrated. Kagome began to internally panic. _What's going on? Why are my senses so weak?_

But Kikyou would not let herself show panic. Especially in front of a woman such as Tsubaki. "I see. You were the one that released those mononoke." she replied, her dark eyes glaring at the other miko with a look of malice.

A small chuckle escaped Tsubaki as she told her with mirth. "Your heart's been led astray by a man. He's the one who's a hanyou, right?"

Kagome didn't reply. She was only focused on that amused look in the miko's eyes…and how to turn that look into one of fear. It took all her training of being Kikyou to not respond to her slight of Inuyasha, or to hero obvious happiness that Kikyou was currently weak in her defenses.

Though Kagome half-expected Tsubaki to attack, what she did next surprised her. She outstretched her hand, and in an expression of almost-concern, spoke, "Hand over the Shikon no Tama. I'll purify it in your place."

The proposition that Tsubaki could be the one to purify the Shikon no Tama was indeed laughable. Though Kagome had already broken the rule saying mikos could not love, Tsubaki's character was _definitely_ not the sort of woman that should be trusted under any circumstances.

That, and the fact that she was not stupid.

A small smile of amusement appeared on Kikyou's face as she turned away, replying simply, "It is impossible for you."

What happened next had been expected by Kagome. She heard Tsubaki yell triumphantly, "Die, Kikyou!" and the sound of the snake mononoke rushing toward her, fangs extended, ready to kill.

Kagome didn't even think about her actions as she grasped her bow, filling it with the spiritual power that remained in her. The mononoke inched closer, it was only feet away from her, giving her almost no time to turn.

But she did. Whipping around sharply, she extended the hand which she held her bow forward, causing the snake mononoke to hit the bow and bounce off with an emission of pink light from the bow. The mononoke was deflected and sent careening back at the dark miko, who didn't stand a chance.

Right before Kagome's eyes, the snake shot into Tsubaki's right eye while she screamed in pain. This was followed by another scream as the youki hissed out once more, while she fell to her knees clutching her eye.

In a low, dangerous voice, Tsubaki yelled, "Damn you, Kikyou!" and removed her hand. There, around her eye, was a pattern like snake skin. Because she was technically a miko, after all, the mononoke had dissolved, but its semblance remained.

Had enough of this Kagome warned, "Begone! And I won't take your life." And then walked away, leaving Tsubaki amongst the sakura, with more pressing matters on her mind.

_I couldn't feel those mononke…I couldn't feel those mononoke…_she kept repeating, over and over, trying to come up with some possible explanation. _Why didn't I feel—_

And then it hit her. She remembered what Tsubaki had said, a year ago, about mikos having to give up love. Because love made them weak.

A small gasp escaped her as she stopped along her path, Kikyou's eyes widening. "Inuyasha…" she whispered.

Of course, it made too much sense. Because she was allowing herself to love Inuyasha, not guarding her heart because he believed her to be Kikyou, her spiritual powers were decreasing. No, she was decreasing _Kikyou's _powers for feeling this way! If Kikyou's powers were decreased and she couldn't sense youkai unless they were very close or very immense then…

Her breath became short and scared as the hairs stood up on the back of her neck as she contemplated this frightening thought. "Naraku…"

Without hesitation, Kagome dashed off towards Onigumo's cave, not caring who saw. It wasn't a matter of keeping her disguise anymore, it was a matter of life or death, and not only Kikyou's death, but hers as well…

As she reached the cave, she reached out with her miko powers once more, just to check…and she felt nothing. But as she had just discovered that did not make it absolute. She felt herself tremble as she walked through the long grass, towards the mouth of the cave, fearing what she would see.

Was Naraku already formed and inside, waiting for her? Would he kill her on the spot? Or would he try to fool her and gain the Shikon no Tama?

Unable to control her fear, she almost turned around, but she had to press on and know for sure. Slowly, she bent down to peer into the cave, and view the floor below…

And Kagome was met with a sigh of relief. Onigumo was still there, still on the floor under a blanket and wrapped in bandages, asleep. No youkai, no fire, no Naraku. Everything was normal.

But as she turned away to leave the scene, Kagome made a mental note to keep a higher watch on him, and to check up every day just to make sure.

Unfortunately, she had just passed out of the range to sense anything from the cave when a small, red, spider youkai scuttled in and down to the man below…

* * *

A/N: Mwa ha ha ha ha ha. 


	15. A Moment in Time

A/N: You know, I find it quite ironic that when I finally decide to do a fanfic about Kikyou, the manga goes into this big Kikyou angst-fest. I think she's dying soon though…They wouldn't angst and go over the whole Kagome/Inuyasha/Kikyou love triangle EVERY CHAPTER if she wasn't gonna die soon.

Take Kagura, for example. A year and a half ago when they killed her off, the preceding chapters reminded us for about a month of her whole sad predicament with Naraku, and then boom! She's dead.

Of course, I'll be sad once Kikyou's dead since though she was kinda psycho in the beginning, I really like her now. But once she's dead, Inuyasha will be free of his promise to protect her so he can go and start loving Kagome…

**Chapter 15: A Moment in Time**

Kagome had a small smile to herself as she ventured through the forest, thinking happy thoughts. She had hoped that she would run into Inuyasha soon; it was hard to spend a day without talking to him.

And of course, he was always eager to respond, since she was probably the only person that talked to him willingly like this. Unlike before where he wanted nothing to do with her, he was always wanting to talk with her now, and even sometimes showed a rare smile.

_He's actually starting to warm up to me. _she thought with a grin. _He's almost becoming the Inuyasha that I know now._

Of course, that he didn't know who she really was. But it didn't really matter anymore. This was a different side of Inuyasha, completely different than any side of him she had seen before. He wasn't the serious Inuyasha who was ready to drop everything and hunt down Naraku at the first hint of him. He was an Inuyasha that was only content being around with her.

But, though it was nice having Inuyasha practically chasing after her, Kagome couldn't help but miss the Inuyasha she knew. Though he was always chasing after Kikyou whenever there was a sign of her, because of Naraku, he was even more concerned about her. Perhaps it was Naraku to thank for her and Inuyasha getting so close…

_But it is also Naraku to blame for all our suffering…_ she reminded herself, the small smile that had been blossoming on Kikyou's face now retreating.

_Without Naraku, so many things would not have happened, Miroku-sama wouldn't be cursed, Sango-chan wouldn't have lost her family, Inuyasha would have never been sealed to Goshinboku…though, I would have never met him then._

Kikyou's eyes turned tragic once more as Kagome stopped walking and looked down, remembering, _Inuyasha would have turned human, and lived out his days happy with Kikyou…never knowing me._

Her eyes widened slightly as she wondered, _Since I am Kikyou now…would he willingly do that if I asked him?_

_If…I couldn't find a way to go back…then could I live here, as Kikyou, happy with him?_

But once more, Kagome thrust that thought from her mind. _No, that's wrong. It's _lying. _I'd be taking advantage of him, the situation…and no matter what I feel for him, using Kikyou to have Inuyasha is _wrong.

Even though she told herself that, and asserted over and over again that she had to do the right thing, her heart couldn't help but possibly consider it as the right thing. She had searched for a year and found no way to return to fifty years in the future…would it be so wrong then to let Inuyasha live the life he was supposed to have?

If she couldn't go back, then would it really be all right?

Whatever thoughts she had about the matter she was currently debating were silenced as she heard Kaede call, "Kikyou onee-sama!"

Turning, she saw her sister waving to her, holding a bow and arrow in her hands. Kagome smiled, and walked up to the girl. "Kaede, what are you doing here?"

Grinning, Kaede replied proudly, "I'm practicing archery, onee-sama!"

"Oh, you are?" she asked. "May I see?"

Suddenly, the girl seemed to shrink away slightly. "I don't know, onee-sama…I'm not very good."

Kagome couldn't help but give a small laugh at that. "Don't worry Kaede, when I first started, I wasn't very good either…in fact, I was probably the worst archer you'd ever seen!" That statement caused her to remember the first time she had ever used a bow, and how she had been about twenty feet off from hitting the crow youkai that had stolen the Shikon no Tama…

Kaede gasped, her eyes widening. "Really, onee-sama?"

"Really. Now, come, show me what you have learned." she asked, and Kaede turned and faced a tree, which Kagome recognized it instantly. They were in front of Goshinboku, looking quite different as it was missing the light colored spot where Inuyasha had been for fifty years.

Kaede turned to the tree, dropping her quiver of arrows as she grabbed one, notching it and aiming for Goshinboku. The girl seemed to be in great concentration as she let go and fired, the arrow sending off pink glitters as it hit its target.

She was thoroughly surprised and a bright smile lit up the girl's face as she realized she had done it. Kagome remembered the last time she had seen her shoot, and noticed how well she was at aiming now. Walking forward, Kagome told her, "You've improved a great deal."

Kaede smiled up at her sister. "Yes!"

Kagome know what else to teach her; Kaede knew how to shoot a regular arrow, and a purity arrow, but there was one more way a miko could use power in an arrow to defeat youkai. Older Kaede had shown it to her when she had asked about it, but Kagome was a bit unsure…the idea made her uneasy.

Nevertheless, she couldn't meddle with time. Kaede knew it in the future, so she obviously had to learn it somewhere in the past. "Last is the sealing arrow." Kagome told her, keeping a smile on her face while inside she didn't like it.

"Sealing arrow?" Kaede asked innocently while Kagome took the bow and an arrow in her own hands. She drew an arrow, aiming for the same spot on a tree, while closing her eyes. She drew the spiritual power from within her, ignoring the fact that she didn't quite have the well of power she had months before while she felt the arrow becoming infused with her aura.

Her eyes snapped open as she released, the arrow flying through the air with a screech and thudding into the tree. Unlike with a purity arrow, there was no blast of pink power. This arrow looked like a normal one, except it held great power.

Her hands still remained in the position of when she had released the arrow as Kagome spoke, "This is the sealing arrow. Use it on youkai you cannot defeat." she had used almost the exact words that Kaede had said to her when she had explained them, not having a through knowledge enough to conduct her own explanation.

"So what happens to the youkai?" Kaede asked, curiously.

Kagome didn't even need to remember what she had learned before replying at once, "It's an eternal sleep."

She lowered her hands and turned back to Kaede, continuing, "In order to wake it up, the person retrieving the arrow simply has to have the desire to remove it." That statement brought upon memories of herself stuck to Goshinboku because of the Mukade Jourou had wanted to gain the Shikon no Tama. Time was running out…and her only hope for herself and the village lay in a particularly foul mouthed boy with dog ears sealed to a tree by an arrow…

_The tree…_Now it was the very same tree that sent her back here, fifty years in the past, in another woman's body, living her life. Kagome glanced back at Goshinboku, "However, Kaede, be careful with this tree."

"Huh? Goshinboku?"

"Like I said, it is a time tree. It has the power to transcend time." _And don't I know it, _Kagome mentally added.

Kaede looked up at the ancient tree in wonder. "A time tree…" she repeated.

Once again, thinking of the one she loved, Kagome explained, "If a youkai is sealed to this tree, the flesh will not decompose—" she stopped, suddenly getting a sense of uneasiness in her heart. Something was not right…

Turning, she looked up at the sky, and gasped when she saw what appeared to be hundreds of youkai heading for the village. "What is that?" Kaede gasped, frightened.

Kagome didn't know either, and she had a bad feeling. "What's going on?" But the question wasn't about the youkai. _The jyaki from them must be huge! Why can I only feel it slightly now? I should have felt something this vast before!_

Not wanting to waste any time, Kagome turned to the girl and yelled, "Kaede! We have to run back to the village! Hurry!" and they both shot for the village through the forest, seeing the sky turn purple with the jyaki while alarm bells clanged. As Kagome ran, she felt deep guilt within her. _I should have sensed the jyaki before! They're all here after the Shikon no Tama! Now what will happen to the village?_

But as they both scrambled out of the forest and down to the village, Kagome felt very relieved when she saw Inuyasha fighting on their side. He must have been watching the village for her, like he usually did, and had seen the youkai heading for them. With his claws raised, he roared, "Sankon Tessou!" and in an instant, two youkai were split in half.

Though it was a time of crisis, Kagome couldn't help but think to herself, _I keep forgetting that he doesn't have his sword…_ "Inuyasha!" she called, as she ran towards him past some fires that had sprouted up.

Rather than give her a formal greeting, he yelled, "You're late, Kikyou!" and jumped off in a blur of silver and scarlet to continue fighting while the villagers fell behind her.

Kagome let that one go, after all, it was his style. "Sorry!" she yelled back, notching an arrow in the bow she now held, and aiming for the torrent of youkai that was coming for them, fangs exposed.

She had expected for them all to have been felled by the pink purity energy of the arrow she had fired. She was wrong. It had disintegrated one, perhaps two at the most. Quite a difference from when she had first been Kikyou and nothing had stood in her way. Her heart fell at the sickening realization, _My miko powers _have _decreased!_

Behind her, Kagome heard an arrow being released, she turned to see Kaede wielding a bow as well, and firing off an arrow that only gave a sparkle of purity energy. It hit the youkai in the fatal spot, but the lack of energy did not totally destroy its body. The youkai fell, dead, to the ground with a crunch as it landed on top of a villager's hut.

Kagome heard the sounds of Inuyasha yelling, and then heard him yell, "Hijin Kessou!" hearing the shrieks of the youkai as they were hit with the sharp blades from his blood.

_Blades from his blood? _She suddenly felt scared for him. He could only do that attack when he bled… _Inuyasha! _she turned, to see he was fine, but had only gotten the blood of the youkai on his hands. That eased her heart just a bit.

But in that one second that she had turned to glance at the one she had loved, life for one changed completely.

Kaede screamed, "Onee-sama!" and sent off an arrow over Kagome's head, looking frightened. Kagome turned to see that a giant youkai was right behind her, its claws extended, ready to strike. The arrow missed…but now it focused its attentions on Kaede instead of her.

Kagome only heard Kaede's scream as it advanced and she could do nothing to stop it. "Kaede!" she yelled, notching an arrow and infusing it with her purity powers as fast as she could.

Without thinking, she released the pink-glowing arrow, that one instant in which she had decided to let it loose turning the hinge on fate.

It hit the youkai, as Kagome had expected…but the youkai did not disintegrate, it only burst into many parts. And one of its claws burst from its body…heading for Kaede.

The girl fell away, screaming in pain, and Kagome first thought that her arrow had actually hit her. _No! _she ran up to her, seeing Kaede huddled on the ground, calling, "Forgive me, Kaede!"

The girl turned, and what Kagome saw made her heart pang in realization. Kaede was clutching a hand over her right eye, which was bleeding heavily. _Her eye…_she had never known Kaede the old woman to be without her eyepatch…

A tear escaped Kaede's other eye while she spoke, obviously in pain "I'm…okay…"

Though Kagome wanted to argue, she could not ignore the other youkai gathering around them now that Kikyou had stopped fighting. Reluctantly, she turned away and continuing firing arrows, but she did glance back at Kaede feeling a pang of guilt once or twice.

After what had seemed like an eternity, the sky finally began to clear of its purple, jyaki infused hue, and turned back to its normal blue color as the last of the youkai were finished off.

But as the fight was completed, Kagome could not help but think, _One second in time because of me lost Kaede's eye…what else can a moment in time do?_

_

* * *

_

A/N: Poor Kaede! I always felt so bad for her at this part of the episode! I know they had to explain how Kaede lost her eye but still…She's just a little kid. :'(

Oh, and considering that we are almost at the end of the story, I should probably say this in about every chapter leading up til the end, Mwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.


	16. The Right Decision?

A/N: I'm never going to be able to make it for another two weeks…

Anyway, since there is only four chapters left in this fic, I thought I might let you know that I am already working on the next one. It's Inuyasha/Kagome, as always, but since the story ended up being so long (My original outline called for 72 chapters…I have pulled it down considerably) it's going to take all summer. Don't worry about it being a ton of chapters of meaningless stuff…It's supposed to take place over two years.

I'm still rethinking over the title, but I hope you guys'll check it out. I'll post more about it as this one comes to a close.

**Chapter 16: The Right Decision?**

The sky had gone orange with the impending sunset as Kagome sat on the bank of the river, looking down into its depths. Over and over she wondered in her mind how she could have let the attack on the village happen.

_I've let my miko powers decrease…_she thought, her eyes sinking. _Because I cannot help but love Inuyasha…_Shutting her eyes tightly, she internally screamed, _Baka! Kikyou never let this happen!_

Kagome felt mostly guilty over the loss of Kaede's eye. Kaede had lost an eye before Kagome came along, but never knowing if this was how she actually lost it, or if it was because of her interference made it unbearable. The girl had told her repetitively that she did not blame her for it, but nevertheless, she still blamed herself.

The losses in the village were not heavy, there were a few broken huts and fires, but other than that, there was no real damage. They would recover.

But Kaede would not. She would never again see with both eyes.

After the attack, she had to fix Kaede up, and though she was not squeamish (she had seen many wounds since her travels in the Sengoku Jidai began), it was nearly sickening to see such a wound bestowed on a little girl.

And would there be more wounds like this? Kagome glanced up at the slowly darkening sky. As long as she was the miko Kikyou, and she protected the Shikon no Tama, there would always be more youkai, more fighting. There would be more times when she would see children like Kaede hurt, or worse, even dead.

_I never did like this fighting as Kikyou…_Kagome remembered the time when she had first become the rival miko, a year ago. _And I don't think Kikyou liked it either…_

_Is there a way that all this violence could just stop?_

As she was lost in thought, she heard someone come near her. Kagome turned, her heart fluttering when she realized who it was. _Inuyasha…_

He sat next to her, sitting on his haunches like he always did, as he looked at her with concern showing clearly on his face. "The kid's eye…how is it?"

Kagome looked away from the hanyou. Of course he would know, he was there after all. He knew it was her fault that Kaede had lost it. "It's a pitiful thing…" she replied, as Kikyou would. "And it's all my fault…Just because I…" she stopped for only a moment, glancing subtly back at Inuyasha. "I couldn't control my feelings."

_It doesn't matter anyways. _she reminded herself. _He already loves Kikyou, after all._

Inuyasha also looked away, seemingly to be in deep thought for a moment, his amber eyes calculating. "Don't blame it on yourself." He finally replied, trying to make her feel better. "After all, isn't this thing common in fights?"

_Yes, it is common in fights…_Kagome was reminded of what she had been thinking just before Inuyasha had shown up. People were always hurt in fights…especially fights between a miko and a youkai. And if the miko did not have the spiritual powers she had before when fighting…then what was the point of it?

_There will always be more fights…more hurt…more death…but I am Kikyou…fighting is all I have ever known…_

"Inuyasha?" she asked, turning back to the hanyou who seemed determined not to meet her gaze. "If you didn't fight, would you not be who you are now?"

Without turning his head, Inuyasha's golden eyes glanced back at her, the calculating look still within them. "You've asked that sort of thing before."

She didn't respond, looking up at the orange and purple sky. _Fighting youkai over the Shikon no Tama does this to us…makes us turn hard…without fighting, we would be normal…and happy…_

_No one would get hurt by me again…I could stop the trail of violence before it even began…_

_But, _Kagome began to argue with herself. _Is it right?_

_I cannot go home…I will never escape from this now. I could stop everything bad before it happened…Miroku's kazaana, the exterminator's village being killed…Kikyou and Inuyasha's misunderstanding…I could keep everything bad from happening…_

_But I'm lying to Inuyasha. _one side of herself argued strongly.

_I'll never come home._ she could not forget. _He doesn't know who I am. I might as well be Kikyou now. And at least…I could be happy too._

_This is what Kikyou wanted, after all. To stop the violence…and to be happy. How wrong is it, to give her what she wanted?_

The argument was ended. _Why should I follow along with time when time only seems to bring sorrow?_

"Should we try to stop fighting?" she asked, glancing back at the hanyou, who looked back at her with a surprised look.

"What?" he asked, as if he hadn't expected that.

Kagome plunged ahead, not wanting to stop before she changed her mind. "If we stop fighting, we can become human, right?"

Inuyasha looked back at her with mild interest, though his eyes revealed mixed feelings. "Me…become human?"

"It's possible." she informed him, watching his every facial expression for signs of his feelings. "You are half human from the start."

He once again looked away, amber eyes trying to find a decision. Kagome could see that he wasn't sure of this, and she knew why. He didn't like it when he was in his human form for one night, how could she ask him to be in it for the rest of his life?

_But he'll say yes. He knows that we could be killed if we keep fighting like this…He knows there's no other way. _But Kagome still couldn't stop the small doubt inside of her from giving her second thoughts.

"In the hands of an evil youkai, the Shikon no Tama's power makes them even stronger." she informed him, reminded of a time when he declared that he would use it to turn himself into a full youkai. "However, if you use it to make you human, the jewel would be purified." A small, relieved smile appeared on Kikyou's face as she continued, "It may just disappear."

There was another silence while Inuyasha gave it deep thought. "So at that time, what happens to you?" He glanced back at her, their eyes meeting.

Kagome could feel her heart race, and knew her eyes as well were betraying the feelings she had for him. She turned away once more, hoping that he hadn't noticed—Kikyou's heart would never run away from her like that. "I am the one who protects the jewel." Kagome replied, the memory of the youkai exterminators placing it into her hands over a year ago fresh in her mind.

"If the jewel were to vanish, I would become an ordinary woman." _I wouldn't have to see children hurt at my expense anymore…_she added.

Inuyasha was silent once more, and Kagome could feel those amber eyes of his looking her over, trying to decide what would be best. At last, he turned away once again asking, "I need some time to think over it."

She nodded, understanding. It would take a long time to think on it for him, after all. "Please do, Inuyasha…" Her eyes glanced at him with longing that she didn't even bother to cover up. "You know...this choice affects both of our fates, Inuyasha. We would both become ordinary humans…able to live as ordinary humans."

_Together. _Kagome had to get up and turn back to the village before more of her feelings were betrayed through her eyes. But she knew, her meaning was known well enough. It didn't matter that she had second thoughts anymore. This is what Kikyou would have wanted.

_And more importantly, I can't help it…If I cannot have what I have longed forever to have…then I want this as well…

* * *

_

Kagome had to wait until the next day, at dusk for her answer. She and Inuyasha did not speak of the question she had asked him afterwards, or throughout the next day. They both had to go down the river near the village to once more fight youkai, and after the fight, which had ended in a sad demise for the youkai, they had glanced at each other, remembering the talk which they had before.

_We would never have to fight anymore…We could become normal humans..._

Kagome climbed into the boat they had found, and set off along the journey back to the village, and she knew that they were both thinking of the choice that lay before them. Perhaps it wasn't the best choice, but she could never go back. It was all that was left for her now.

The orange sky sparkled golden as the boat docked, Inuyasha still holding the long pole he used to paddle upriver, while she stepped out of the boat, carrying her arrows. Lost in her thoughts of Inuyasha, Kagome didn't realize that her bow had caught on the edge of the small pier until too late, tripping and falling into Inuyasha, feeling her face flush up as she realized what she had done.

_Now I look like an idot…_she thought, mortified, glancing up into his hypnotizing amber eyes. _A lovesick idiot…_

But he stared back at her, his eyes never leaving hers. Kagome could feel her heart begin to pound violently in her chest, making her feel dizzy…feel loved. Inuyasha had only looked at her like that one way before…when he had tried to kiss her because he had been thinking of Kikyou. But…was that all that was revealed in his eyes? Kagome could only see love, but she saw something else…guilt, and pain...

She knew her eyes must be revealing everything about her as well. She probably looked nearly lost in love, but she was also guilty, also in pain…but the pain was lessening every second she was around him.

After what seemed like an eternity of staring into each other's eyes, learning everything about each other, Inuyasha dropped the pole with a clatter, and suddenly wrapped his arms around her in a hug, as if it was an obligation. Kagome was so lost in his eyes and in her love that she thought he had said "Kagome…" when he first murmured her name.

Inuyasha hugged her tighter, and instead of in the loving tone when he had first spoken, his voice turned to one with purpose, without any other choice. "Kikyou…I'll become human."

Even though Kagome knew he was going to do it, she still gasped as her heart raced faster, and she felt like she was floating, almost bursting from her love and the realization that she would finally be loved.

Pulling slightly away, Inuyasha replied, obligated, "I will become human."

Glancing up at him, Kagome was almost surprised when she heard Kikyou's voice speak instead of her own. "Inuyasha…" He was doing it, he was finally going to love her…though she was Kikyou…

His amber eyes were resigned, aware of what he had to do as he said, "And since you've been lonely all this time…I could…"

"That's enough." She pulled away, knowing a smile was on Kikyou's face as she looked back up at him, the man she loved, now promising to live his life with her. Replying softly, she came closer, her dark eyes lost in his bright golden ones, staring slightly past her. "You don't need to say anything else."

"Kikyou…" he whispered, his mouth slightly open, as if trying to find the right words to say.

That was enough talk for Kagome. Inuyasha loved her…he wanted to spend his life with her…It didn't matter that he thought she was Kikyou, and she didn't care anymore. He was going to live with her, and love her forever…what she had always wished of, but never thought she was going to get.

Slowly, she stood on her tiptoes, seeing Inuyasha's eyes widen as he realized what she was going to do, before she closed her own, head turning slightly to the side…as she had seen it so many times in her fantasies, but never expected to experience…

And she gently touched her lips with his.

Kagome thought her heart would explode with emotion, with love and the feeling of finally kissing him…but one thing wasn't perfect. He was still too stunned to do anything.

But suddenly, she felt his strong arms wrap around her, pulling her closer to him as he leaned into the kiss and kissed her back. She knew he could hear her heart pounding in her ears, he could probably feel her soul soaring as well…

What could be so wrong about this, when for the first time since she had become Kikyou, everything was so right?

At long last, she was completely happy. And nothing could ever take that away from her.

* * *

A/N: Yeah, I bet. (Mwa ha ha ha ha ha ha.)

Awww…finally, I put in some fluff for you. But the story's not over yet, remember…


	17. Forgotten Fear

A/N: I am starting to become obsessed with Jane Austen. It started a year ago when I watched the 1995 of Pride and Prejudice for the first time…and loved it. (Mr. Darcy is HOT!) Then, I had to read the book, which delighted me in being exactly the same as the movie.

Now, I got into Emma, and I am finding myself comparing Mr. Knightly to Mr. Darcy. Mr. Darcy was cuter in the movie that Mr. Knightly, and I think I'll give Darcy a couple other points since he was kind of a jerk in the beginning…and I think Inuyasha is proof to how much I love that in a (fictional) guy.

**Chapter 17: Forgotten Fear**

The experience of that kiss was nothing like Kagome had ever felt before. True, she had always imagined of kissing Inuyasha one day…but to actually be in his arms…to actually have his lips on hers…

It didn't matter if he thought she was Kikyou, she would have traded her form for Kikyou's a long time ago if it meant that Inuyasha would kiss her like this…

The best part of the kiss was knowing that there would be many more to come. Tomorrow, she would bring the Shikon no Tama, and would wish for him to be human. And though she would greatly miss the loss of his ears, it had to be done. It would be an end to the war of the Shikon no Tama, and the beginning of their happiness all in one.

But though she considered it _their _happiness, in reality, it was not so. It was Inuyasha and _Kikyou's _happiness, and though Kagome was currently in Kikyou's body, the triumph was still the miko's. Inuyasha didn't know who she was, nor did he know that the woman in his arms was in fact the woman's reincarnation accidentally sent into her former body.

It was a lie.

As they finally pulled away from the kiss, both of them a bit breathless, hearts beating rapidly, and deep blushes on their faces, Kagome looked into Inuyasha's golden eyes…and noticed the look he was giving her. It was the look she had seen so many times on him before, in her own body. That gleam in his eyes that told her he was seeing another.

_I'm not Kikyou…I can never truly _be _Kikyou…But I will have to try…In order to live life without despair._

Kagome felt two strong arms pull her to his chest, while a sigh of contentment passed Kikyou's lips. She was content, right here, in the hands of the man she loved, closing her eyes and pretending it was actually _her _he was loving.

Neither of them spoke. But nothing was needed to be said. They both knew they loved each other…no sappy words of romance would change that. But Kagome at least expected Inuyasha to say something after that wonderful, beautiful kiss that still had her head spinning. Instead, he replied, "We should go back to the village."

Though he had not said what she wanted him to, a small smirk reached her lips. Inuyasha was never one to be romantic anyway. They pulled out of each other's embrace, noticing the deep purple of the sky as the sun had almost fully set, the ending of an old life and the beginning of another. Looking up at him with a smile, Kagome replied, "You're right…Kaede will be waiting for me."

They walked from the dock down the dusty path through the woods, hardly looking at all like two young people lost in love. Kagome, at least, expected him to do _something _to show her his feelings like he had shown her on the dock. Instead, he asked, not looking back at her. "You take care of the kid well."

Feeling frustrated, Kagome nevertheless replied in a happy tone, "I have to, Inuyasha. She is my sister…and all I have left of my family."

The hanyou seemed determined to keep his amber gaze away from her. "She'll be a great miko someday."

_You don't even know how true that is. _She gave a slight chuckle, "Yes, I suppose you are right. Kaede will make a wonderful miko once her training is complete."

"Of course…" He slowed his walking pace through the forest, while stars began to twinkle overhead. Inuyasha's eyes slid over to her. "She learned from the best."

Kagome let out another forced, Kikyou-like laugh. "Don't flatter me, Inuyasha. There are mikos far better than I."

"Yeah." he agreed, looking away once more. It was beginning to get on Kagome's nerves. "But you still have power, Kikyou."

Why was he saying this? The way he said his last comment, it made it seem like he didn't want her to give up her powers to go with him…like he wanted her to stay a miko, for some reason. Had Inuyasha ever mentioned a hostility to his choice to becoming human?

She had to find out for sure. Looking up at the midnight black sky, Kagome asked softly, "Inuyasha, is this all right?"

The hanyou looked back at her at that one, almost looking like he expected her question. "What?"

Knowing she had to press on, she continued, "Is it really all right, to be with me like this?" Her dark eyes revealed to him something she couldn't bear to say out loud, because it would break his heart. _Do you want to back out now while you still can?_

The hanyou stopped walking for a moment, and once again avoided her gaze. His golden eyes were set, contemplating. Deciding on how exactly to express his feelings. Though Kagome was sure that at this second offer, he would reject her, given how he was acting, he replied simply, "Don't go on about such obvious things."

Since he hadn't rejected her, Kagome took a deep breath, knowing what was at stake now. "Tomorrow afternoon."

_That _caught the hanyou's attention. "Huh?

She continued, "In the western forest in front of Goshinboku. Please wait there. I'll come with the Shikon no Tama." Turning to him, she saw him look back at her. Their gazes locked, her heart beginning to race once more.

Gathering up all his courage, he answered, "Right…I understand."

They gazed at each other for a long time, Kagome wishing he would take her in his arms again and kiss her once more, but she was not so lucky. She knew the village was close by, and she would have to leave him in the forests one more time, though, this may be the last night they would separate at the tree line.

After a long, uncomfortable silence, Kagome smiled once more at him. "Well, goodnight, Inuyasha. I shall see you tomorrow." And feeling bolder than she usually was, she came closer to the hanyou, while panic grew in his eyes. Mischievous grin on her face, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him…on the cheek. Nevertheless, the hanyou's golden eyes grew wide and she could feel him literally freeze beneath her.

When she pulled away, Kikyou's dark eyes soft, she looked into his golden eyes, which revealed his feelings at the moment. Shock, most definitely, love, of course, and then…pain. Again he held pain in his eyes…pain, like he felt as if he was betraying his heart…

But Kagome turned away, giving a small sigh as she walked back to the village. _He must know that something is wrong. That I am not Kikyou…He knows that there is something not right with my manner as Kikyou…but he still promised to me…why?_

But she didn't let herself fret too long. There was work to be done. Before she could go back to her and Kaede's hut to rest, she had to take care of one more thing, essential to her and Inuyasha's plans to be together.

She walked to the far end of the village, towards the dark temple. Kagome could feel the power radiating from the Shikon no Tama before she even opened the doors or set foot inside. Trying to calm the flutter in her heart from being with Inuyasha, she slid the wooden doors of the temple open, eyes gazing upon the jewel glowing pink on the altar.

Once the doors were closed, Kagome walked closer to it, glad that the fires of incense were still glowing to allow her enough light to see as she knelt in front of it, clasping her hands in a form of prayer. _I'll still never get used to it being so…whole…_

She closed her eyes, bending her head as she prayed and once more purified the Shikon no Tama from any evil that might have seemed into it. The jewel had to be completely pure for her wish to be preformed. Kagome wasn't taking any chances.

But, though she filled up the jewel with purification energy, she still had her doubts. The old argument came back to her once more as she knelt and tried to concentrate. _You are not Kikyou. You are lying to him…taking advantage of her form to win him._

_But I don't have anything else to turn to now…I cannot go back…I will never see the Inuyasha I know again…I should just take what I have now and keep it._

_It's still a lie…you can never deny that…_

Steps outside the temple woke her from her prayer. She opened her dark eyes, glancing at the doors at the back of the temple. "Who is it?" Kagome asked, tiredly.

"It's me, Kikyou." That voice caused her heart to begin to pound rapidly in her chest.

_He came to visit me in the village? Why? Does he want to…_kiss _me again? _She hoped for that scenario as she asked, turning back to see her hanyou's outline through the small slits of light in the door. "What is it? Did something happen?" Of course, Kikyou's first fear would be of a youkai attack…

"I'm just looking forward to it." Inuyasha replied, making her heart race faster. _Does he mean…he's acting different from before? He really wants to become human? _His voice then became lower, with purpose, "Hey, Kikyou, do you think you can make me human now?"

This urge to suddenly become human was so unlike him…it was just too odd…"It's impossible like that." Kagome explained simply. "The night is full of evil jyaki. If you use the Shikon no Tama, the sun should be up." She wasn't sure if this was true, but Inuyasha's sudden willingness was very strange…

Kagome began to get a chilling feeling as he replied, "I understand, well then, please do it as soon as the night has ended." Kagome glanced at his shadow through the sliding doors. Why was she getting this weird feeling? It was Inuyasha, he never scared her…

But she did know that something was not right as suddenly, his figure disappeared. Kagome gasped, and stood up, running to the doors of the temple and sliding them open, looking out to the village and the night…and Inuyasha was no where to be found.

_I'm getting a bad feeling about this…_Kagome thought, suppressing a shiver. _Why would he come here and say that…like that? Why wouldn't he have told me before? Why didn't he come in and say hi? _

And more importantly, _Why am I getting this fear in my heart?_

But the feeling of fear, that was familiar. It was a memory that she had kept bottled up in the frame of mind labeled 'Kagome' for a year, and was not something that she had ever brought out as Kikyou. But now, that she had known this feeling before, all the dark memories came back to her…memories of tragedy, terror, and most importantly, _fear._

Her dark eyes went wide and a gasp came through her as she thought in realization, _That wasn't Inuyasha…that was Naraku! That means…tomorrow, Kikyou and Inuyasha are going to die!

* * *

_

A/N: I'll say it again. Mwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.


	18. Kagome's Choice

A/N: Another thing I hate about the end of the year is the yearbook. More specifically, the yearbook pictures. When they peppy-happy yearbook committee barges into my classroom to demand to take pictures I probably won't look at past the end of the school year, they always seem to take pictures of me looking like a complete idiot.

**Chapter 18: Kagome's Choice**

Kagome found it very hard to control her ragged, afraid breathing as reality hit her. _Because I haven't been watching Onigumo…he turned into Naraku! And tomorrow he's going to kill us!_

Turning back around, her breaths still uneven from fear, Kagome saw the Shikon no Tama, glittering innocently against the faint light left by the fires of incense, on the altar. She didn't even bother to shut the doors as she walked towards it, her eyes taking in its purified glow, before sinking to her knees in front of the twinkling pink jewel.

Feeling tears form in Kikyou's eyes, her head fell forward, and she covered her face with her hands. Kikyou's white sleeves slid down her arms from such a position, but she didn't even feel the chill of night now.

_What have I done? _Trembled Kagome, not daring to look up. _I let Onigumo become Naraku once again! _

Visions of Naraku as she knew him came into her head, as he laughed maliciously while sending pangs of fear into her heart. The Naraku she knew was far too powerful, almost too powerful for them to handle. Though they tried to remain confident that they would one day best Naraku, in truth, they all knew that it would probably take a miracle to defeat him.

Still taking frightened gasps, Kagome removed her hands and looked up at the Shikon no Tama, shining with its purified aura. _The Shikon no Tama…it all comes back to this…to this moment in time…_

At this moment, in reality, Kikyou had chosen to turn Inuyasha into a human, for them to live together. She wanted them both to become ordinary humans, and never have to worry about battles or fighting again. She wanted to end the violence and bloodshed that surrounded the jewel, forever.

Kagome wanted that. She also wished she could stop the fighting about the jewel…she also wished that she could just leave the fighting alone and be at peace. But one thing she did not want was Inuyasha a human.

Sure, if he genuinely asked her, and really wanted to become a human, then Kagome would have obliged in an instant. But to ask _him _to do something like this…Besides the loss of his ears, Inuyasha would miss being a hanyou. Since he was never a full youkai, having a feeling of strength and the ability to protect something was important to him, and she knew that. He wouldn't feel like he could protect her…he would always feel weak. And Kagome didn't want to put him through that unless he himself was totally willing to go through with it.

She knew, before that she had asked him because it is what Kikyou wanted, and Kagome, knowing that there was no way to go home, decided to ask him so, at least, she could live out her days as Kikyou in happiness.

But, in that temporary giddiness, she had forgotten all about their other problem, Naraku.

_That attack on the village…_she remembered. _It must have happened because of Naraku…so he was already a youkai then._

Kikyou's eyes once again became tragic, looking away from the jewel. _What am I going to do now?_

Kagome wanted to use the jewel. More specifically, she wanted to use it because it was less frightening than the _other _option. She had seen enough of Naraku to know that, in the beginning, without the jewel, he was not as powerful as they knew him to be now. They could easily defeat him, and so save everyone who suffered from a terrible fate, and then use the jewel, allowing them to be together and in love forever…

_But Inuyasha would be a human. _Kagome reminded herself. _And he would think I was Kikyou, he wouldn't love me for _me. _He'd love me because he loves her._

It could work. After that last battle with Naraku, there would be nothing else coming after the Shikon no Tama, and they would at last be free of the fighting, together at last.

_It would be Inuyasha and Kikyou together at last, not me. I am only in her body, pretending to be her. It's lying to him…I have hated lying to him all this time…could I really lie like that…for the rest of my life?_

Kagome remembered the time on the dock when he had held her in his arms, promising to live life with her. She remembered the touch of his lips…her fist kiss with him…At that time, she didn't care that she was in Kikyou's form. Kagome only cared about what Inuyasha was saying, how he had loved her like that…How being in his arms felt so natural…

She decided long ago that she loved Inuyasha, but how far was she prepared to go to gain his love as well?

_Besides…I can never go back to my time anyways, so it's not like I can just—_ As she gazed upon the jewel, a new thought hit her, something she hadn't deeply considered before…

Kikyou's dark eyes opened wider as she fully thought over this, wondering if what she had thought was true. _But…if I were to die Kikyou's death…would my soul go back to its original body?_

Hands trembling at this fearful thought, she discovered that everything began to add up. _Nothing else I have tried has worked before. And I am still here after being Kikyou for an entire year…I have lived her life from when this all began, and tomorrow, when her life is about to end…I discover that Naraku is here…I don't know why I came, whether it was intended or a mistake, but somehow, I know, it is connected to Kikyou and Inuyasha's past…_

_Is that…my only other option? _Her ragged breathing had returned as her heart became more fearful. _Either to live life as a lie with him…or to die?_

She was afraid. No, not afraid of death, but she was afraid of what happened if her hypothosis was incorrect. What if dying didn't bring her back to her body? What if she was now somehow 'Kikyou' and then it was another who was reincarnated into her body?

_Can I take that risk? _She wondered, _It would be easier to follow along with my original plan…at least I know what will happened and that Inuyasha and I will be happy, besides…_

_He loves me…he loves me as Kikyou…though my heart may try to deceive me and convince me otherwise…_She remembered that time on the dock earlier that day when she thought she heard him say 'Kagome' instead of 'Kikyou', and how she had forgotten that he was referring to the deceased miko until he said her name. _He only loves her…and finally, I can feel what it is like to love him…_

_I'm lying to him, though. I could never lie to him before…well, for the most part. I feel terrible about it. It would mean continuing to lie and pretend to be someone else for the rest of my life…I don't know if I can do that…and then to see Inuyasha sad because he is no longer a hanyou, thinking that he is happy as long as Kikyou is there, loving him…_

_That's hard to do too._

But the other option was disturbing as well. _But if I choose to follow with history and try my theory, at least knowing I have a clean conscience…I will have to die Kikyou's death. I'll have to see the form of Inuyasha killing me…to feel her physical pain, and the pain in her heart…_

And the worst of all, _I'll then have to shoot Inuyasha with the sealing arrow…and kill him. _

A tear escaped her eyes as she thought about it. _Killing him…I'll have to kill Inuyasha! But…I cannot. I love him too much…I can't do it! I can't kill the one I love!_

But the thought of lying to him, she also couldn't do. She didn't know what was worse, to follow history, to die and to kill, but perhaps go back into her own body so she could forget everything else…Or to do what she had intended to in the first place, turn Inuyasha human, and live with him, lying for the rest of her days.

Sighing, Kagome closed her eyes and thought, _This is the one choice that I cannot think about what Kikyou would do first. I have to make this choice on my own…but I don't want to._

Closing her eyes, she stood up, the red hakama swaying slightly as she brought her body to its full height, turning away from the Shikon no Tama to the open door. Wordlessly, even without a thought, she walked away from the purifying jewel, and out the doors, sliding them shut as she entered into the chilled night air.

The stars were twinkling overhead, while the crescent moon shined above her, but she did not turn to look at either. Shuffling down the wooden steps, and then down the long, stone ones outside of the temple, she walked into the forest, hear ears not hearing the sounds of night all around her.

She didn't even need to think to find Goshinboku, she knew its position in this time from all the times she had gone to see it. Of course, seeing it fifty years before Inuyasha had been sealed to it was a bit harder, considering that it did not have the trademark spot where Inuyasha's body had been sealed away.

When Kagome found the time tree, sitting innocently in the middle of a clearing, her eyes were full of emotion as she walked towards it, extending her hand to touch the age old wood, right to the spot where Inuyasha was to be sealed away the next day.

_He was in pain when he was put under the spell…_she thought. _The last thing he saw was the woman he loved killing him…I don't want to do that too him again…It hurt him so much…_

Kagome wondered what the Inuyasha she knew would say if she asked him what to do. Of course, he would want her to choose the first option, not wanting to see her killed. But if she asked him about not wanting to hurt him, he would probably tell her not to worry about him, but to do what she had to.

_That's what he would tell me, but the Inuyasha I know isn't here right now…_Shuffling closer, Kagome closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against the wood, feeling somehow like she had a bond between the past and the present.

_If I choose to let Inuyasha and I live, then I could stop the war of the jewel right now. No one else would be hurt by Naraku…I could save many innocent lives by doing this…_

_Then the selfish thing is to die…I shouldn't do it because then it allows the Shikon no Tama to once again appear and cause all sorts of pain for everyone…I shouldn't do that, because then it will allow all that happened to happen…_

Her eyes popped open and her breath stopped in her throat as she remembered, _Of course…then everything that would have happened would not. I would never be born, Sango-chan would never meet Miroku-sama…we would never know each other, and I would never know them…_

_I would miss my world, my home, Mama, Souta, Jii-chan, Buyo, everyone. I would probably even miss school. And every minute of every day, I'd have to pretend to be someone else, I could never be myself…Never let Inuyasha know who I really am…_

_I would be more miserable then ever, and I could never do anything to change it. We haven't been beaten by Naraku yet…that means there is still hope that we could win…_

Glancing back up at the tree, Kagome immediately turned away, seeing a red-clad form move away in the trees. Sighing, she looked down. _Inuyasha…but he doesn't know what's going on…He probably thinks that I'm having a hard time with the decision…_

Then a chill entered her heart. _Or was that Naraku, keeping an eye on me, making sure his plans for tomorrow aren't spoiled…_

_Tomorrow… _Slowly making her way back up to the temple, Kagome reflected upon what she would do, the next day.

_Tomorrow, I will finally leave here…_She reached the top of the steps, heading for the wooden door of the temple.

_Tomorrow, I will do what is right, regardless of the consequences…_ She slid open the doors of the temple, the Shikon no Tama glittering innocently back at her.

_Tomorrow, I will die…

* * *

_

A/N: How's that for a cliffe! Come on, its not like you didn't already know what she was going to choose anyway.

So, only two more chapters to go! I think you can guess what happens in the next chapter, though…


	19. Revelation

A/N: I would have had this chapter in earlier today, but basically, I came home from school today and slept until 8:30. I guess waking up early and late nights with work (AP is no joke) made me just incredibly tired, so the minute I thought I was finally free, I had to make up for a lot of lost sleep.

(OK, I'm not technically on summer vacation. All the underclassmen get out next Friday, but being an upperclassman, I am exempt from certain exams due to my grades, so I only have to go to school two days next week.)

But still, my usual hours were 6 AM to 11 PM, half the time midnight or beyond. Given the fact that I've always had to get at least 8 hours of sleep or be half-dead all day, I was dying this year. This is why I don't want an office job or my backup job, teaching either English or History to the next generation of high schoolers. I'd rather be a professional writer. At least then I could get away with not waking up until 9.

The Board of Education really does have a conspiracy against High Schoolers, since half the schools in the country start at 7, like my school. Maybe the reason Japan is kicking our butt in test scores is because they usually don't start school until 8:30!

Enough of the rant, enjoy the chapter and my evil twist!

**Chapter 19: Revelation**

Kagome held the Shikon no Tama in her hand, able to sense its pulsing aura beneath her fingertips. Faint, grey light had just come over the horizon, meaning it was time for her to leave to seal her fate.

Many times throughout the long night, she had contemplated not doing what she had been planning on, simply because she was too afraid to. Her plan had many risks, many chances of failure, and yet she had to take those risks to finally go back to her own body. Being Kikyou for so long made her realize how much she really had, despite her belief that Kikyou was luckier because she had Inuyasha's love.Kagome longed to be in her own body, in Inuyasha's arms again, and to know that he was looking at her instead of the dead miko.

History was bound to repeat itself, as it had shown. Kikyou would be heading out today with the Shikon no Tama in hand in order to change the hanyou Inuyasha into a human, so they could live together. Naraku, however, could not stand it that Kikyou and Inuyasha would be together since he lusted after the miko, and in the form of her beloved, would strike her down. While she made her way back to the village, gravely hurt, Naraku took the form of Kikyou to shoot at Inuyasha, making him enraged enough to steal the jewel in order to turn himself into a youkai.

And then in a tragic, fateful moment, Kikyou would see him, the one she thought betrayed him, and would shoot him with a sealing arrow because she still could not bear to fully destroy him.He would remain under a spell for fifty years, attached to Goshinboku, his last view of the woman he had loved killing him.She would die of her injuries, taking the Shikon no Tama with her, to then be reincarnated fifty years later into Kagome.

It would be terrible, painful, and a torture to do what she had planned on doing, but Kagome knew she had to bear it. She had to set time straight once and for all. It didn't matter that she could change everything for the better, so Naraku didn't exist, it would alter time so much that nothing would be the same ever again.

Second thoughts were forever in her head. Knowing that it was not Inuyasha would, at least, lesson the pain on her heart when she was fatally injured, but having to seal him to the tree would be doubly harder, knowing that he was innocent. She loved him, swore she would never hurt him, but having to kill the one she loved like that…

Shutting Kikyou's eyes tightly, Kagome fought back the wave of tears that were threatening to come upon her. She couldn't cry now, not at this important moment. Kikyou _never _cried.

When she reopened her newly dried eyes, she saw the grey sky had slowly lightened some more. She couldn't afford to wait all day, then her only chance at going back would be lost. She would have to leave now, despite how hard it was to follow through.

Standing up in the hut, with the Shikon no Tama in one hand, her bow in another and arrows strung on her back, Kagome crept across the hut, hoping not to wake the still sleeping Kaede.

"Onee-sama, where are you going?"

There was a small gasp as Kikyou's dark eyes opened wider. _Too late. _Turning back and forcing a smile on her face, she saw the little girl, still with the bandage over her lost eye, awake on her pallet. "Um…just going out." she supplied, hoping the girl would not make her go into the details.

Kaede nodded, and then gave a small yawn. Eyes softening, Kagome told her, "It's still early, go back to sleep."

Her younger sister started, "But—"

But Kagome broke her off, knowing she couldn't waste more time or worse, rethink her decision again with the innocent little girl asking where she was intending to go. "Don't worry, I'm just going to bring you more medicine." lied Kagome quickly, hoping she could buy it.

"Medicine?" asked Kaede, "If its medicine, there's plenty right here." she indicated to a pile of herbs and then the pitcher of water close by.

_Right, how could I have forgotten…_After all, she had picked those herbs herself. Turning away slightly, Kagome answered right away, "There might be better medicine than that. I'll go look one more time."

There was a smile on theinnocent girl's face as she answered, "Thank you, Kikyou onee-sama."

Hearing her say those words as she had every day for a year, Kagome felt a small pang in her heart hearing them once more. She had grown accustomed to having Kaede as a little sister, and now she felt the bond of sisterly affection as if she had grown up with her herself. The Kaede she had known was an old woman, but her as a little girl gave her one more reason not to leave this era.

Turning slightly back to the girl, wishing she didn't have to leave her, Kagome asked, "Kaede, does your eye hurt?" she felt guilt for it once more since it was her arrow that had caused her to become injured.

There was a smile on her face as she replied, "Not really, it's much better today."

Hearing that made the pain on her heart lessen and caused her eyes to soften. With a small smile, she answered, "I see. I'll be back soon." not wanting her to worry. Then Kagome turned away from her, and walked past the bamboo curtain out of the hut, to the village with the faint light of a new day, never once looking back.

* * *

Knowing she was going to be late for when Naraku had told her to come, Kagomespinted to Goshinboku, her heart pounding the entire time. The bow felt heavy in her hands, the arrows were hitting her back as she ran, and her duty became even harder as she reached the tree she would have to seal Inuyasha to in less than an hour.

Kagome was fairly certain that Kikyou didn't bring her weapons on this escapade, thinking that she would gain eternal happiness forever from it. But Kagome didn't how Kikyou had procured the bow and arrow the first time this all happened, and she didn't want to take any chances. Sealing Inuyasha against the tree and then dying herself was her fate, and she would not let it slip out of her fingers for one easy mistake.

Naraku was not here, and Kagome looked around for a flash of red. She had to place a hand over her racing heart, trying to keep the fear at bay, despite all her survival instincts telling her to run. This was her fate, and would go to it holding her head up high and proud, just as Kikyou had originally done.

Feeling that she should have already been attacked, Kagome walked away from Goshinboku to seek Naraku out. She didn't like having to come to him, it made herself seem even more crazy to willingly go to her death like this. She continued walking, her heart rate increasing with the well-hidden fear.

She ended up wandering until she reached a grassy field, a little way from the village. Clutching the Shikon no Tama to her chest, Kagome also felt the small shell of rouge Inuyasha had given her inside of her white haori…against her heart. No matter what horrors she faced today, she would never deny the man she loved.

_Has Naraku already missed me? _she wondered, glancing around the field. _Did I ruin time unintentionally?_

She was starting to get worried. _Is this my fault? Did I really just destroy the flow of time because I was not quick enough in getting here? Is all that worrying I did and fear for nothing?_

Kagome had just reached inside her haori to grasp the shell when she heard the sound of something moving fast through the grass behind her.

Her heart nearly skipped a beat as her eyes widened in fear, _This is it…_

The figure racing behind her had now begun laughing, with a laugh much like the one she heard from the man she loved…Her heart was beating franticly now, and she was hardly able to think from the fear…It would hurt, and she would die from this…

There was another, deeper laugh, much like the one Inuyasha gave when he was a youkai, and he was close now, so close that Kagome could faintly feel Naraku's evil youki. Closing her eyes as a tear of regret escaped them, she held the Shikon no Tama and the shell against her heart, ready to die without any regrets…no matter how horrible, no matter what the pain, at least there was the chance of seeing the man she loved…

Kagome felt the worst pain imaginable as iron sharp claws ripped into her shoulder with a yell of triumph…Inuyasha's yell of triumph. Her bow, the Shikon no Tama, and the shell flew from her hands as she saw a fountain of blood erupt from her shoulder…She began falling, unable to comprehend anything but the pain...

Until she thought she heard a familiar voice yelling, "Kikyou!" and the sound of a deep growl and slashing as something jumped behind her.

It didn't seem possible, and she assumed it was the pain making her believe this. How could Inuyasha know what had happened? "Inu…yasha?" she asked, opening her eyes, yet she was unable to turn and look at what was happening, conscious of the unending pain in her shoulder and the immense bloodloss from the wound.

There was a snarl, another sound of slashing, and finally, the sound of something running off. Kagome was unable tounderstand what had happened until she saw a red-clad figurelooking likethe angel of mercy running up to her, gasping in horror, "Oh gods, Kikyou! What the hell happened?"

_He doesn't know what's going on…_she realized, looking up into his concerned amber eyes. _But how did he know to come here?_ The hanyou tried to shift her to carry her back to the village, earning a gasp of pain from her in response. He let go, his eyes wide in horror. "Inuyasha…"

"No!" he ordered, once again trying to pick her up to avoid her shoulder. "Don't speak, Kikyou." He had managed to move her with only slight pain in her shoulder so he could pick her up bridal style, the immense amount of dark blood staining his haori.

"But, Inuyasha…" she spoke, since she had to know. "How did you know to come here?"

The hanyoulooked as if it was obvious, and then told her. "Kikyou…you have been acing weird for a while. I wondered if you still wanted what you asked for last night and I came to seek you out, and then I saw that ..._bastard _taking my form and then he did _this _to you!" His voice was deep and growling, but Kagome could tell there was a lot of pain in there as well. He must be killing himself inside knowing he didn't get there fast enough…

But a new thought struck her. _This is all my fault!_ she realized, cringing again and placing a hand against her right shoulder, slick with her blood. _Because I was not Kikyou…I've ruined time! Now Kikyou will live, and things won't be as they should be…_

Her eyes widened in the horrible realization. _But…perhaps there is a way to fix this…_

Right before Inuyasha took off to get her medical attention, Kagome stopped him. "Inuyasha…my things."

At first, he stared at her in incredulity, after all, unless she got the wound patched up she would die, worrying about things seemed to be something that wouldn't be so important. But, nonetheless, he complied to her wishes, gathering up her bow with a strange glance at her (her arrows were still on her back), while he gave her the Shikon no Tama. It didn't escape Kagome's notice that instead of giving the shell back to her, he tucked it in his own haori.

_Maybe he thinks its too much for me to carry, with all of this…_she wondered.

Then Inuyasha raced back towards the village at top speed, intending on saving her, until Kagome stopped him once more. "Inuyahsa, take me to Goshiboku."

Once again, he stared at her. "Goshiboku? But Kikyou, we have to get you back to the village, you'll die if you don't get back!"

Kagome closed her eyes once more, clutching her shoulder as another jolt of pain hit it. The blood was still flowing, not having stopped yet. "Inuyasha please…as my last request, take me to Goshinboku…"

"Kikyou…" his voice was now pleading with her, in the vain hope that he could save her. But there was nothing he could do. Naraku had done the deed and made sure he had hit her artery. She would die anyways.

"Please…Inuyasha…" Kagome begged one last time, looking deep into his pained amber eyes. "Please…"

Sighing, with regret, Inuyasha turned around and sped off towards the great tree, perhaps thinking if he got there quick enough, there would still be time to take her back and bandage her. Kagome felt slightly relieved when they were there, and he set her down gently near the tree, sitting down next to her.

Though, he didn't stop at begging with her. "Kikyou, we need to get you back to the village…"

Turning away sharply, one hand on her bow and the other on the Shikon no Tama, she answered, "No, Inuyasha…I have accepted my fate, and I want to be here when I die."

That made the hanyou lose his temper. His amber eyes wild, he grabbed her by the upper arms, not even being careful of her wounded shoulder as he yelled, "No, Kikyou! I won't let you do this! I won't let myself watch you die again!"

Kagome suddenly gasped at what he said, _Again? But…that means…_

His eyes aswent wide as wellat the realization of what he had just blurted out. Letting go of her, and shrinking back slightly, he looked back at the time tree with regretful eyes. "Kikyou…it's time I tell you the truth."

Also looking away from the hanyou, Kikyou's eyes were in shock. _The truth? _she felt her heart race once more, only this time it was out of realization.

"Kikyou…I'm not the Inuyasha you think you know." The hanyou plunged on, too afraid of her reatcion to look back at her. "I'm actually from fifty years later, Kikyou…and by some accident was sent back here. I've been like this the whole time."

There was another gasp to be heard from Kagome. _The...whole time?_

"Kikyou…on this day, the demon named Naraku, the one that wounded you before, tricked you into believing I did it, and then he tricked me into thinking you betrayed me, all because he wanted to taint the Shikon no Tama. We both died today, Kikyou. You from that wound, and me because you sealed me to Goshinboku because I attacked the village and stole the Shikon no Tama in revenge."

Fingers shaking on the bow and the jewel, all thoughts of the pain flew from her head as she processed the information given to her. _Inuyasha…he's _my _Inuyasha! He's been here the whole time! And I never noticed…and I was going to kill him! _The thought caused uninvited tears to fill her eyes.

"I had to act like I used to in the beginning so you wouldn't suspect me, Kikyou. At first, I wanted to try to save you, but…I couldn't go through with it." Inuyasha gulped, taking a glance back at her, while she still stared away from him in shock. "I thought that if I let everything be as it was before, I could go back, but…I realized I can't let you die again, Kikyou!"

Suddenly, Inuyasha put a hand on her good shoulder to make her turn around and look at him with her soggy eyes. "That's why you need to live, Kikyou! I don't belong here, I belong fifty years in the future. You're a great miko. You have to live to set things straight. You deserve the Inuyasha who truly loves you, Kikyou, and not me."

Unable to keep from asking, Kagome said, "And why don't I deserve you, Inuyasha?"

"Because!" he looked away once more, as if he didn't want to tell her the information. "I thought that I could just live with you like we planned, Kikyou. But last night, when we…" He blushed, glancing back at her, and Kagome blushing as well, knowing what he was referring to. "I realized that I don't love you like I used to. The only one I love…is Kagome!"

Kagome gave another gasp, Kikyou's eyes wide, as another tear fell down her cheek. _He…loves me? _And then she remembered, how she had fallen into his arms the night before, and she thought she had imagined his whisper _"Kagome…" _But he _had_ whispered her name. All those times he seemed to not be thinking about Kikyou when she was in his arms…he was thinking about _her_. That look of regret when he had agreed to become human…it was because he wanted to be with _her_ instead of Kikyou…

And that thought alone caused her to feel sadder than ever. _Now I've really messed up time! All because he says he…loves me…now everything's going to be changed!_

Inuyasha noticed how Kikyou was beginning to have tears in her eyes. Of course, telling the woman who loved him that he loved another was probably not the best thing to say, especially to a dying woman. "I know, Kikyou, I'm really sorry, but I—"

He stopped when he heard what Kikyou was incoherently muttering, "No, not this…he's not supposed to…no…loves me…I'll never…go back…"

She probably wasn't noticing she was voicing these thoughts, but Inuyasha heard and tried to set her confused mind right. "Kikyou, I already told you that I don't—" But he stopped as he rethought her words. 'loves me' 'never go back'.

Pausing, Inuyasha turned to look at her. Kikyou was crying. "Kikyou, you're crying…but, you _never…" _And then it hit him. All those times he had thought there was something odd with her behavior…The times when she reminded him of someone else…

"Ka…Kagome?"

Feeling a sob escape her chest, Kagome looked back up to the hanyou, looking completely bemused and slightly blushing, considering what he had just admitted to who he thought she was. Blinking tears from her eyes, she only mumured, "Inuyasha…"

Suddenly, he grabbed her by the arms once more, staring at her with the widest amber eyes Kagome had ever seen on the silver haired hanyou. "Kagome? It's really you? But you're here? How did you get here?"

Knowing it must feel odd to stare at the form of the woman he once loved and know that she was actually another woman, she replied simply, "I must have come the same way you did, Inuyasha. Through the time tree…"

He still looked confused, and afraid, glancing at her bleeding wound more frequently. "But Kagome…you were here the whole time?"

Nodding, she replied, conscious of Kikyou's voice escaping her. "I did the same thing you did, Inuyasha. I played the part of Kikyou for a whole year, never lifting my disguise. I had to, because I thought that you were like you were before…If I had known then…" Once again she gave a gasp of pain and clutched her shoulder, knowing she didn't have much time, her heart feeling sadder than ever now knowing that this Inuyasha was _her _Inuyasha.

Noticing her pain, the hanyou once more begged her. "Kagome, we have to get you back to the village, _now. _I won't let you die Kikyou's death, Kagome! Then we can figure out a way to get back safely, both of us. Just please, hang on a little bit longer!"

But that wouldn't work. She knew and felt it. There was only one way now to get back, and that was to set things straight. Once again, the pain she had felt this morning in her heart came up, but she could not let that hinder her now.

When Naraku had struck her, he had broken the string of the quiver, and now because of her position on the ground, the had fallen to the forest floor. Discreetly, hating herself as she did it, Kagome kept Inuyasha's eyes on her face as she grabbed an arrow, stringing it to her bow, hidden by the large sleeve of Kikyou's clothes. More tears filling her eyes, Kagome whispered, "Inuyasha…I'm sorry…"

He stared at her, unable to understand what she was planning. "Kagome, what do you mean?"

Lowering her eyes, not able to look at him right now, she whispered, "There is only one way to escape this place, Inuyasha…" Allowing herself only one second of pausing, she etched this image in her mind forever, Inuyasha here, looking at her with concern, telling 'Kikyou' that he loved another…_her._

Then, faster than she would have thought from someone dying, Kagome swung around, raised her bow and fired with closed eyes, knowing she would hit after having filled the arrow with her remaining powers before.

His eyeswereshockedas Inuyasha gave a cry of pain as the arrow pierced him through the chest and pinned him to Goshinboku, the exact place he had been pinned before. His mouth still open, he looked upon the form of Kikyou, standing up now, her hands still in the position they were when she released the arrow, tears streaming down her face while she held a look of despair.

Finishing the sentence she had stared before, she murmured, "And it is to die the way our souls died fifty years ago."

Amber eyes open and afraid for her, Inuyasha reached out a hand to her, as if to grasp and lift her from this terrible fate. "Kagome, no! Please, I don't want to see you die!"

Lowering the bow as she looked upon him, the man she loved and who loved her in return, whom she had just shot to kill. "I have to, Inuyasha." she replied, resigned. "I have accepted my fate…But I'm sorry I had to drag you into this too…Everything has to end the way it did fifty years ago, Inuyasha."

She bent down to pick up the Shikon no Tama which had fallen from her grasp when she shot him with the purity arrow, while she desperately tried to control her tears…Kikyou _never _cried. Inuyasha still called for her. "Kagome! Kagome!"

The pain in her shoulder caused Kagome to drop the bow and clutch the wound, knowing her time was coming. That caused the hanyou to cry even louder, watching her suffering, "Kagome!"

His voice was weakening; she could tell that the spell was beginning to take effect. Glancing up at him one last time, seeing death in his eyes, she had to fight not to shed a tear. "I'm sorry." She replied once more, assuring him.

Voice smaller and trembling as he fought the spell of sleep, Inuyasha managed to get out, "Kagome…please…I…love…" before his hand dropped away and he closed his eyes, body sagging as he fainted away into the fifty year sleep.

Biting her lip against the tears, unable to keep the aching pain from her heart, Kagome murmured back, "And I love you too, Inuyasha…more than you will ever know."

She heard the sound of villagers running towards her and she turned, wiping her eyes on her sleeve for one last performance. "Onee-sama!" Kaede cried, running to her side. "Kikyou onee-sama!"

Others gathered around her, gasping at the blood staining her shoulder and the ground. "Kikyou-sama! What horrible wounds!"

"Onee-sama, those injuries…" Kaede started, but stopped as she realized her sister would not survive.

Kagome couldn't hear them, she was still suffering from shooting Inuyasha in order to correct time as it should be. She glanced back up at the sleeping hanyou, remembering his words that now ached in her heart, _"The only one I love is Kagome!" _

Looking away from him, she glanced back at the Shikon no Tama in her bloody hand. "The Shikon no Tama…it was all for this…" she whispered, as Kikyou had, before feeling another wave of pain from her shoulder and cringing against it, knowing her time was nearer.

As it passed she was still trembling, hardly able to control Kikyou's body. Kagome turned to her sister, still wearing the bandage of over her eye, wishing she could have known Kaede longer. She told her quickly, "Listen, Kaede…this, the Shikon no Tama, you must burn it with my body…"

"Onee-sama…" Kaede whispered, looking frightened, before Kagome cut her off.

"It must not fall into the hands of evil again…" Kagome held the jewel to her chest, knowing what must happen now. Her vision began to go dark, and the pain from her shoulder consumed her, causing her to cringe one more time as she closed her eyes, prepared for death as she had been the moment she had decided on this course of action.

She felt herself falling, the sound of Kaede screaming "Onee-sama!" in despair, but the last thing Kagome thought about before all she knew went dark was, a certain, silver haired hanyou whom she could never deny how much she loved. _Inuyasha…

* * *

_

A/N: I'll admit, 3 people guessed my twist. I feel like I'm loosing my touch now…I hope no one will guess my twist in the next one I do…Though, don't stop guessing! It's fun to read your theories and see how close everyone gets…

There is one more chapter after this one, so please, read it!


	20. The Truth

A/N: Well, here I am at the last chapter of **Lie to Me**. This story exceeded my expectations in many ways, including the reviewer response. Because it was mainly about Kikyou, I didn't expect so many people to actually read it, considering how many out there hate her (in my opinion, at least) unfairly.

To tell you the truth, I used to hate Kikyou before I saw this episode, so that is why I choose it to put into a fic, in hopes that it might change some people's minds about her. But, as always, you can't change the masses opinion with just one little thing…

Anyway, I'll have more details later on my next fic, which I'll put up quite soon because I already have 5 chapters done, because I'll be working at Target all summer and doing other things, and I really want the new one to get done on time, considering how long it is.

Also, here's a fun fact for you, I wrote this chapter in a kimono! Except, it's a good think I'm alone in my room, because if I make one small movement out of my sitting position, the flimsy obi gives way and it falls open. I have no idea how those Japanese do it…Maybe I'm tying the stupid thing wrong…

**Chapter 20: The Truth**

Everything had gone white since Kagome had closed her eyes. She didn't feel like she was falling…more like she was floating in an endless void of whiteness. Her body seemed to be suspended in midair, her head back, and arms spread, like she was floatin on an endless lake.

She didn't feel any pain, or anything at all. She didn't dare open her eyes, afraid of seeing where she was. The last Kagome could remember, she had been dying in Kikyou's body, and then had fallen, her last thought on Inuyasha…

It seemed her mind could think now,yet everything was hazy. _Inuyasha…_

Her heart remembered the pain in his beautiful golden eyes as he was shot with her arrow to Goshinboku, the pain of seeing this moment in time happen once more, only it was a different woman wholet loosethe arrow, under different circumstances. Either way, the outcome was the same. Inuyasha would be sealed to a tree for fifty years, and Kagome would die, sending her soul back to where it belonged.

_Is that where I am now? s_he wondered. _Am I waiting for my soul to go back into my own body and clean up this mess?_

Once she was reincarnated, she wouldn't remember who or what Inuyasha was. She would have to wait another fifteen years until she fell down the well once more, to meet that arrogant hanyou sealed to a tree.

But it didn't matter. As long as she could see Inuyasha again, it would be worth it.

Once more, her mind cried out to him, _Inuyasha…_

Kagome begun to have feelings in her body now. She could, just barely, feel the tips of her fingers, her toes. She couldn't move them, of course, but now she had regained some feeling, at least.

_What's going on? __How much longer will it be until I will be able to open my eyes and see my world again? _

Very, very faintly, she began to hear voices she couldn't recognize. Shewas unablemake out what they were saying, they seemed to be so far away.

Straining her ears, Kagome was able to just make out her name among the unintelligible speech. _Who's there? _she wanted to know. _Why are they talking about me?_

The voices grew louder as a faint pinkness filled her vision. She clearly heard a male voice say, _"I think Kagome-sama's waking up!"_

Able to feel her fingers, she was able to clench them, until she heard another voice say, _"Look, she moved!"_

_Is that…Sango-chan? _Kagome realized, recognizing the voice.

"_Her eyelids are fluttering, she's waking up!"_

_Miroku-sama!_ she recognized, the pink in her vision growing brighter. _He's there! They're all there, except…_

And then she heard it…That voice that she had heard so many times, that voice that caused her heart to flutter, _"Kagome…"_

_Inuyasha! I have to get to him! I have to see him! _Kagome desperately tried to wake herself up, forcing herself to see him alive once more. _Inuyasha…Inuyasha!_

"_She's saying something…" _Miroku answered. After a pause, he replied, _"She's saying 'Inuyasha'…"_

Kagome felt warm, strong arms hold her toa comforting body. Inuyasha pleaded, _"Come on, Kagome, wake up, we need you back…please…"_

Biting her lip as she clenched her fists, Kagome forcefully pulled herself from the place, so she could go back to the one she loved. _Inuyasha! _she cried, hearing her voice call it as well as her eyes popped open, a burst of pink light filling her vision.

When the light cleared, she saw the one thing she had longed to see for so long, Inuyasha smiling down on her, and holding her, keeping her safe. "Kagome." he sighed, looking relieved. "You're all right."

Kagome's breaths were deep as she looked into those lovely golden eyes. "Inuyasha…"

Blinking, she managed to turn her head to look around. They were in the same clearing of the forest they were in before she had been sent back, with Miroku, Sango and Shippou crowded around them, looking relieved as well. "We're glad you're back among us, Kagome-sama." Miroku spoke for all of them.

Straining her tired muscles as Kagome tried to sit up, reluctantly out of Inuyasha's arms, she asked, "How long was I out?"

"Only about ten minutes or so." Sango replied. "Inuyasha woke up before you."

Kagome's chocolate eyes went as wide as dinner plates at that tidbit of information. "Inuyasha?" She turned to look at the hanyou, who stared back at her, before turning away slightly and blushing.

"Keh." was the only reply she got, but it caused Kagome to wonder.

_Did…did it really happen? Was I really there? Both of us?_

"I must apologize." Another female voice said, causing Kagome to look up, while her heart gave a little jump. Kikyou stood there, with her bow still in her hands, looking remorseful. After being in the body of the woman who stood before her for a year, it took Kagome a second to remember that she was finally herself again. "I did not think my arrow would harm you."

"It's all right, Kikyou." Inuyasha answered, his blush having faded. "We're all right."

As Kagome stared at the dead miko, she couldn't help but feel ashamed with herself. Before, she had been jealous of her, thinking her lucky that Inuyasha had loved her once, and now…she understood her. There was a silent bond between them now, at least on her part. Now she understood why Kikyou still cared for Inuyasha despite telling him her love had faded long ago.

_She had a sad life. _Kagome's eyes filled with pity. _And now she cannot help but wish that things had turned out differently. _

Kikyou must have noticed Kagome's look of pity. Looking at her reincarnation, Kikyou asked, "You didn't…see anything while unconscious, did you?"

Glancing back up at her, Kagome shook her head without pausing for a moment. "No, or if I did, I can't remember it." She did not want to discuss what she had experienced with anyone, especially her.

At first, the miko looked like she didn't believe her, but she nodded anyway. "Well, if that is the case, I should be going. I have stayed far too long."

Kagome had been prepared for Kikyou to leave them once more, as she always did, but Inuyasha, stood up beside her, and called out, "Wait, Kikyou!"

The miko turned back to the hanyou from where she had been starting to go on again. "Yes, Inuyasha?"

Walking up to her, her answered. "I need to speak to you, Kikyou." he took one last glance back at Kagome. "Alone."

Kagome felt her heart break as she watched him, and her eyes lowered in sadness. _I knew it. That time…It was all a dream. When he told me he loved me…it was all my imagination._

Everyone elseglanced at Kagome with sympathy in their eyes as Inuyasha led Kikyou away to speak with her privately. What it was about didn't matter to her, but just the fact that he had done it right after she had dared to hope what she had dreamed was real…it was too much. Kagome felt the tears coming. At first, she tried to keep them from flowing, fighting herself, as she had done for so long.

But then Kagome remembered who she was. She was not stoic Kikyou, who had probably never shed a tear in her life. She was Kagome, herself. And Kagome was allowed to cry when she wanted to.

"Kagome-chan?" Sango asked, coming closer to her friend who was on the brink of tears.

A sob escapedKagome as she turned away shutting her eyes while a tear trailed down her cheek. "I need to be alone." she replied, trembling.

Her friends stared. She had never gotten _that _upset when he went to see Kikyou. She may have cried a bit and gone back to her home, but never to the point where they couldvisibly see her heart breaking. "But, Kagome—" Sango was cut off as Kagome stood up, wiping her eyes with her arm.

"Leave me alone!" she cried, as she ran into the forest, leaving them behind, very concerned.

* * *

Kagome sat on a hill on the edge of the forest, looking out at the orange sun as it set. Her eyes had long since dried, but she still could not shake the sadness from her heart. _For once…I just thought…and then he had to shatter it._

Her knees were drawn up to her chest, while she rested her head against them, looking out to the endless fields of green. Clenching her fist, Kagome slammed it against the ground. _I wish I had never had that dream!_

It was so real though…but so impossible. Besides the ridiculous notion that her soul got trapped in Kikyou's body, there was the time when Inuyasha had burst out that he loved her, that alone was impossible. Given by what she had seen, she knew Inuyasha must feel the same as Kikyou, wishing that the past had been different.

_How can I face him now?_ Once he found out how upset she had been, it would be more than obvious, even for him, how she felt. And if he ever found out about her dream, then she might as well say it upfront. _How am I going to explain without telling him how much I love him?_

Her heart clenched with fear as she heard the sounds of him coming to sitwith her. _Not now! This is the worst time! _But her mental pleas did nothing as the hanyousat next to her, looking out on the horizion as well. No doubt he could already smell the tears she had shed.

Neither of them looked at each other as he began, "The others said you were here."

Kagome nodded. "I needed to think on some things." she replied in a small, hurt voice.

"What things?" the hanyou pressed on, folding his arms as they both looked away.

"Oh, you know, things." she shrugged. After that, there was more silence between both of them. It was almost unbearable before they both tried to speak at once.

"Kagome, I—"

"I know, what you must be thinking." she cut in, breaking him off. "Honestly, Inuyasha...I really am sorry for all the trouble I caused."

By then, the hanyou did look at her with those scrutinizing amber eyes. "Trouble? What do you mean?"

Only then did Kagome turn her head, and meet his confused golden eyes with her longing, brown ones. "I think you know." she whispered softly, and by the way his eyes got a bit wider when she said it, it conformed that he did know to what she was referring.

They both turned away once more. While a small blush appeared on the hanyou's face, Kagome's was clear of any twinge of embarrassment, knowing now that what she had longed for was beyond her reach. "I'm sorry for all this." she repeated, looking out towards the sinking sun while hugging her knees to her chest. "I just wished that…It doesn't matter now. I've been fighting it for so long, I can keep on doing that."

Another pause, before Inuyasha's reserved, golden eyes took in her form. "But Kagome…if you didn't fight, would you not be who you are now?"

With his words, Kagome's brown eyes opened wider, and a gasp escaped her. It wasn't possible. It wasn't…wasn't it? She turned back to him, the stunned look still on her face, while Inuyasha just smiled softly at her, turning her heart to mush once again.

His hand slowly reached for her, and caressed her cheek, while she was unable to control the frantic beating of her heart. "Would you not be that wonderful, beautiful, kind woman I know you to be?"

"But…" Kagome was able to breathe, still gaping at him slightly. "Kikyou…?"

The hanyou pulled his hand back, but still stared softly into her eyes. "I told Kikyou that I can't keep her promise anymore. I will avenge her death, but I can no longer follow her wherever she goes." He leaned closer, so their foreheads were touching as he continued, "There's only one woman I want in my life, and while we were there, I realized that it's you," His gentle hand clasped hers. "Kagome."

Looking up into his beautiful eyes, Kagome could hardly believe it was happening at last. _We were really there? And he…choose me?_ "Inu…Inuyasha…" she murmured, as she realized that he had given her something when he grasped her hand. Pulling away from him slightly, she opened her palm, and saw that inside was the shell full of rouge he had given Kikyou so long ago. "Inuyasha?" she gasped, unable to believe what she was seeing. "But how? I…I thought…"

"I took it for you when we were there, remember?" he explained, leaning closer to her. "And somehow, when I woke up, it was still there…I wanted to give it to the woman I loved, and I think I was meant to do that, in the end."

A smile tugged the corner of her mouth as happy tears threatened to spill. It was finally happening. Inuyasha was finally telling her he loved her. She looked back at him, eyes sparkling with joyful tears, and a smile on her face, and she noticed the small blush on his cheeks. Well, he was never very good at these romantic speeches anyway.

After seeing how happy all this was making her, Inuyasha decided to take the final plunge. A small smile on his face as well, he said those three little words, "I love _you_, Kagome."

That was it, breaking the impending wave of tears as Kagome launched herself at him, managing to get out, "Inuyasha!" before meeting his lips in their first, true kiss.

The sun set, leaving them in the faint light of dusk as they continued to hold each other in their passionate embrace. And they both knew, that living life in the past or someone else's shoes did change your own.

The lie wasn't a bad thing, if the lie brought them to each other.

* * *

A/N: And, done! Well, I think that's a pretty fluffy way to end the story, ne? Originally, Inuyasha was just going to say the line from the past, grab her hand and watch the sunset with her, both with dorky smiles on their faces. But I just KNEW I had to put some fluff in there, or I would get complaints about it. Besides, it was cute to write. 

This took me twice as long to write…stupid kimono…I am so buying Kikyou's outfit at Otakon, because that looks cool and doesn't come loose at the worst possible times!

Okay, so the reviewer award goes to **Kyoumi** and **orangepencils **too, because I think the PMed review due to technical difficulties counts. Third win for **Kyoumi**, second win for **orangepencils**, so great job with your reviews! The rest of you, come on! Don't you want to win virtual pocky?

Now, as to my next story:

**Four Seasons With Your Love **(I think…I don't really like the title, but whatever.) – InuKag obviously. Three years after the Shikon no Tama has been destroyed, Kagome tells the story of 'The Miko and the Hanyou' to her son. The epic tale of her and Inuyasha's romance unfolds, a love that survived pain, suffering, and above all, loss. They are faced with Naraku once more, but he has something new up his sleeve—the curse of the Shikon no Tama!

I hope you guys come to read it! Sayonara!


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